hundredweight

hundredweight
(Cwt or cwt)
   a traditional unit of weight equal to 1/20 ton.
   The hundredweight is the English version of a commercial unit used throughout Europe and known in other countries as the quintal or the zentner. In general, this unit is larger than 100 pounds avoirdupois, so to fit the European market the hundredweight was defined in England as 112 pounds avoirdupois (about 50.8023 kilograms) rather than 100 pounds. This definition apparently dates from about the middle of the 1300's. The British hundredweight was divided into 4 quarters1 of 28 pounds, 8 stone of 14 pounds, or 16 cloves of 7 pounds each. In the United States, where the currency was decimalized and there wasn't so much need to align the unit with the quintal and zentner, the hundredweight came to equal exactly 100 pounds (about 45.3592 kilograms). The U.S. hundredweight seems to have been invented by merchants around 1840. To distinguish the two hundredweight units, the British version is often called the long hundredweight and the American is called the short hundredweight or cental. The C in the symbol is of course the Roman numeral 100.

Dictionary of units of measurement. 2015.

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  • hundredweight — ► NOUN (pl. same or hundredweights) 1) (also long hundredweight) Brit. a unit of weight equal to 112 lb (about 50.8 kg). 2) (also short hundredweight) US a unit of weight equal to 100 lb (about 45.4 kg). 3) (also metric hundredweight) a unit of… …   English terms dictionary

  • hundredweight — [hun′drəd wāt΄] n. 1. a unit of weight, equal to 100 pounds avoirdupois (45.3592 kilograms): the British hundredweight equals 112 pounds avoirdupois or 50.8023 kilograms 2. a unit of weight, equal to 100 pounds troy (37.3242 kilograms) Symbol,… …   English World dictionary

  • Hundredweight — Hun dred*weight , n. A denomination of weight, containing 100, 112, or 120 pounds avoirdupois, according to differing laws or customs. By the legal standard of England it is 112 pounds. In most of the United States, both in practice and by law,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Hundredweight — spr. Höndr duweht), englisches Handelsgewicht, s.u. Centner A) a) …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Hundredweight — (spr. hönndred wët), s.Centweight …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Hundredweight — Hundredweight, abgekürzt Cwt, Gewicht, in England = 112 engl. Pfund = 50,8024 kg. In den Vereinigten Staaten, in Kanada und Jamaika benutzt man statt des Cwt das Cental (s.d.) zu 45,359 kg …   Lexikon der gesamten Technik

  • Hundredweight — (spr. hönndrĕdweht), Handelsgewicht = 112 engl. Pfd. = 50,802 kg. (S. auch A voirdupois.) …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Hundredweight — (höndrdweht), der engl. Centner = 1 Zollctr. 7,8 Pfd …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • Hundredweight — The hundredweight or centum weight (abbreviated cwt) is a unit of mass defined in terms of the pound (lb). The definition used in Britain differs from that used in North America. The two are distinguished by the terms long hundredweight and short …   Wikipedia

  • hundredweight — 100 pounds. Abbreviated as cwt. Chicago Mercantile Exchange Glossary * * * hundredweight hun‧dred‧weight [ˈhʌndrdweɪt] written abbreviation cwt noun [countable] a unit for measuring weight equal to 112 pounds or 50.9 kilograms: • a hundredweight …   Financial and business terms

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