Definition

A unit of weight that is used to measure heavy items, equal to either 100 pounds in the U.S. or 112 pounds in the UK.

Example

The shipment weighed over a hundredweight, making it quite heavy to lift.

Conversation

Did you know that a hundredweight is actually different in the UK and the US?

Yeah, I heard that! In the US, it's 100 pounds, right?

Exactly! But in the UK, it's 112 pounds, which is kind of confusing.

I agree! It would be simpler if they were the same everywhere.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Hundredweight is formed from "hundred" (from Old English "hundred", meaning a group of one hundred) and "weight" (from Old English "wēght", meaning heaviness or mass). The term refers to a unit of weight that is equivalent to one hundred pounds in the United States or one hundred stones in the United Kingdom.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'group of one hundred' ('hundred') and how heavy that is ('weight') — that's what hundredweight means.

Visually Confused Words