What does chopin mean?
A chopin is an obsolete unit of liquid capacity once used in Scotland, equivalent to about half a British imperial gallon, or roughly two litres. Standardized by an act of the Scottish Parliament in 1618, it served as a practical measure for ale and wine in taverns, households, and trade. The word entered English through Old French 'chopine', though its deeper origins remain uncertain, and its ultimate derivation has never been established beyond dispute. Like many pre-industrial measures, the chopin varied somewhat before standardization, which is precisely why the 1618 statute mattered: it fixed quantities that had previously been local and inconsistent. Today the word survives mainly in historical dictionaries, scholarly works on metrology, and period writing, where it lends authenticity to descriptions of early modern Scottish commerce and everyday life. Readers encountering it should understand it as a curiosity of measurement history rather than a term of living usage.
nounA chopin is an obsolete unit of liquid capacity, formerly used in Scotland, equal to about half a British imperial gallon (roughly two litres), and standardized by an act of 1618.
- A historical Scottish unit of liquid capacity equal to approximately half a gallon (about two litres), used especially for ale and wine.
- (rare) A small drinking vessel or container holding this quantity.
"The tavern keeper drew a chopin of ale from the cask for each guest."
"By the terms of the 1618 statute, a chopin was fixed at half a gallon."
"The innkeeper filled a chopin from the barrel of Bordeaux."
Regular plural formation; rare because the word itself is archaic.
"The cellar held several chopins of imported wine."
Before Scotland standardized its measures in 1618, ordering 'a chopin' at the tavern meant roughly two litres of ale — enough to make any modern pint look modest.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of chopin
The word 'chopin' derives from the Old French 'chopine', denoting a similar liquid measure, but the further origins of the French term are uncertain and have not been securely traced. It entered Scots and English usage in the early modern period, and the Scottish Parliament's act of 1618 fixed the chopin at half a gallon as part of broader efforts to standardize weights and measures. Its cognates are limited chiefly to the French source word itself, so no secure family of English relatives exists.
How chopin is actually used
This is an archaic, historical term encountered almost exclusively in older texts, dictionaries, and discussions of Scottish weights and measures. It should not be used in contemporary writing without explanation.
Easily confused with chopin
Frédéric Chopin is the celebrated nineteenth-century Polish composer and pianist, whereas 'chopin' as a common noun is a historical unit of liquid measure.