uncia

[ uhn-shee-uh ]

noun

, plural un·ci·ae [uhn, -shee-ee].

1. a bronze coin of ancient Rome, the 12th part of an as.
2. (in prescriptions) an ounce of weight or volume.

Word History and Origins

Origin of uncia¹

1685–95; < Latin: a twelfth part, akin to ūnus one; inch ¹

Example Sentences

An engraving of the quincunx, or piece of five unciæ, is given, bearing on one side a cross, a V, and five pellets; and on the other a cross only.

From Project Gutenberg

A centumpondium weighs 70.6 lbs. avoirdupois, an uncia 412.2 Troy grains, therefore, this value is equal to 72 ounces 18 pennyweights per short ton.

From Project Gutenberg

Smelters of this kind are so clever and expert, that in smelting they take out all the gold and silver which the assayer in assaying the ores has stated to be contained in them, because if during the first operation, when he makes the cakes, there is a drachma of gold or half an uncia of silver lost from the ores, the smelter obtains it from the slags by the second smelting.

From Project Gutenberg

This charge is likewise smelted for the space of twelve hours, and he makes as many as thirteen centumpondia of tertiary cakes and eleven centumpondia of copper-lead-silver alloy, each centumpondium of which contains one-third of a libra and half an uncia of silver.

From Project Gutenberg

In the same way, from eleven cartloads of quaternary cakes thrice roasted, he makes the "final" cakes, of which one centumpondium contains only half an uncia of silver.

From Project Gutenberg