avoirdupois

[av-er-duh-poiz] /ˌæv ər dəˈpɔɪz/
noun
1.
avoirdupois weight.
2.
Informal. bodily weight:
He carries around a lot of excess avoirdupois.
Origin
1250-1300; Middle English avoir de pois literally, property of weight < Old French, equivalent to avoir (earlier aveir < Latin habēre to have) + de (< Latin dē) + pois (earlier peis < Latin pēnsum)
Examples from the web for avoirdupois
  • Above weights of food are net in avoirdupois ounces.
  • Net weight shall be expressed in metric as well as avoirdupois units.
  • It is acceptable to state the net weight in metric weight in addition to the avoirdupois weight.
  • The net weight must be expressed in metric as well as avoirdupois units.
British Dictionary definitions for avoirdupois

avoirdupois

/ˌævədəˈpɔɪz; ˌævwɑːdjuːˈpwɑː/
noun
1.
a system of weights used in many English-speaking countries. It is based on the pound, which contains 16 ounces or 7000 grains. 100 pounds (US) or 112 pounds (Brit) is equal to 1 hundredweight and 20 hundredweights equals 1 ton Abbreviation avdp, avoir
Word Origin
C14: from Old French aver de peis goods of weight
Word Origin and History for avoirdupois
n.

1650s, misspelling of Middle English avoir-de-peise (c.1300), from Old French avoir de pois "goods of weight," from aveir "property, goods" (noun use of aveir "have") + peis "weight," from Latin pensum, neuter of pendere "to weigh" (see pendant (n.)). After late 15c., the standard system of weights used in England for all goods except precious metals, precious stones, and medicine.

avoirdupois in Medicine

avoirdupois av·oir·du·pois (āv'ər-də-poiz')
n.
Avoirdupois weight.

Slang definitions & phrases for avoirdupois

avoirdupois

noun

Body weight; fat or fatness: I have too much avoirdupois, so I'm dieting