Apothecaries' Unit (Noun)
Meaning
Any weight unit used in pharmacy; an ounce is equal to 480 grains and a pound is equal to 12 ounces.
Classification
Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure.
Examples
- The apothecaries' unit is used in some medical and scientific contexts, such as when describing the weight of medication in old prescriptions.
- Historically, apothecaries used various weight units, such as grains and ounces, which are part of the apothecaries' unit system.
- Pharmacists today use metric units of weight and measure, although apothecaries' units may still appear in traditional medical contexts.
- Some of the traditional units in the apothecaries' unit system have the same names as the avoirdupois system but differ in actual weight, leading to confusion and potential medication errors.
- Before widespread adoption of the metric system, pharmacists in Europe and the US commonly used the apothecaries' unit for measurements and conversions in compounding prescriptions.