ounce

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈau̇n(t)s 

1

a

: a unit of weight equal to 1/12 troy pound see Weights and Measures Table

b

: a unit of weight equal to 1/16 avoirdupois pound

c

: a small amount

an ounce of sense

2

: fluid ounce

ounce

2 of 2

noun (2)

: snow leopard

Synonyms of ounce

Noun (1)

• shred
• glimmer
• speck
• sprinkling
• splash
• hint
• bit
• little
• touch

Examples of ounce in a Sentence

Noun (1)

an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Oh, and keep each element under 4 ounces and the whole day of eating at about 1,500 calories. —Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 16 Mar. 2026

Add this six-piece towel set to your bathroom linen closet, and brighten up any room with the springy smell of lemon and lavender with this 22-ounce Yankee Candle scent. —Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Mar. 2026

Not to mention, the generous 22-ounce capacity provides up to 150 hours of burn time, too. —Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2026

Dinner subs a five-ounce steak for the eggs. —Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 13 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French unce, from Latin uncia 12th part, ounce, from unus one — more at one

Noun (2)

Middle English unce lynx, from Middle French, alteration (by misdivision, as if l'once the ounce) of lonce, probably from Old Italian lonza, from Middle Greek lynk-, lynx, from Greek

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1774, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ounce

• an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
• fluid ounce

Rhymes for ounce

• bounce
• flounce
• pounce
• announce
• denounce
• pronounce
• renounce

Kids Definition

ounce

noun

ˈau̇n(t)s

1

a

: a unit of weight equal to ¹⁄₁₂ troy pound (about 31 grams) see measure

b

: a unit of weight equal to ¹⁄₁₆ avoirdupois pound (about 28 grams)

c

: a small amount

an ounce of common sense

2

: fluid ounce

Etymology

Noun

Middle English unce, ounce "ounce," from early French unce (same meaning), from Latin uncia "a twelfth part, ounce," from unus "one" — related to inch, unite

Word Origin

The Latin word uncia was used to mean "a twelfth part of something." In reference to length, it meant one-twelfth of a pes "foot." In reference to weight, it meant one-twelfth of a libra "pound." Uncia, as a unit of length, came into Old English as ince or ynce, which became our inch. Uncia, as a unit of weight, came into Middle English from the early French word unce and became our ounce. In the present system of weights used in this country, the pound is divided into sixteen parts instead of twelve. The result is that the ounce, which originally meant one-twelfth, is now equal to one-sixteenth of a pound.

Medical Definition

ounce

noun

ˈau̇n(t)s 

1

a

: a unit of troy weight equal to ¹/₁₂ troy pound or 31.103 grams

b

: a unit of avoirdupois weight equal to ¹/₁₆ avoirdupois pound or 28.350 grams

2

: fluid ounce