Definition

A unit of weight used in measuring precious metals, equal to 24 grains or 1/20 of a troy ounce, which is about 1.555 grams.

Example

The jeweler measured the gold in pennyweights to determine its value.

Conversation

Did you know that a pennyweight is a unit of weight used in measuring precious metals?

Really? I had no idea what it was used for.

Yeah, it's equal to 24 grains, which is pretty interesting.

That's cool! I guess it makes sense for gold and silver measurements.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Pennyweight is formed from "penny" (from Old English "pening", meaning a coin) and "weight" (from Old English "wēght", meaning heaviness or weight). The term pennyweight originally referred to the weight of a penny coin, which was used as a unit of measure in precious metals.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'penny' as a coin and 'weight' as heaviness — pennyweight refers to the weight of a penny coin.

Visually Confused Words