What does gramme mean?
Gramme is a noun denoting a metric unit of mass, equal to one-thousandth of a kilogram. It is used when specifying small or precise weights, especially in scientific, pharmaceutical, nutritional, and commercial contexts. The spelling gramme is chiefly associated with British English; gram is the usual American form and is also widely used in Britain. Its plural is grammes, although gram may also be used before a quantified noun, as in “five grams.” In everyday descriptions of food or medicine, the term can sound technical because precise mass measurements are especially important in those fields. Gramme has no distinct meaning of its own beyond the metric unit: it is a spelling variant of gram. Its name reflects the word’s history through French, Latin, and ultimately Ancient Greek, where the source term was associated both with writing and with a small unit of weight.
nounA metric unit of mass equal to one-thousandth of a kilogram.
- A metric unit of mass equal to one-thousandth of a kilogram.
"The technician weighed out a gramme of the powdered sample."
"The pharmacist measured exactly one gramme of the active ingredient."
"Each serving contains five grammes of protein."
The standard plural of the British spelling gramme is grammes.
"The sample contains three grammes of powder."
The extra “e” is chiefly a British fingerprint: gramme is a spelling variant of gram, descended through French and Latin from Greek gramma, “letter.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does gramme come from?
Gramme entered English through French gramme, ultimately from Latin gramma, a borrowing of Ancient Greek gramma, “letter, small weight.” The Greek term was connected with writing and was also used for a small weight, while the metric gram was later defined as one-thousandth of a kilogram. The spelling gramme reflects the French form, whereas gram became the dominant international English spelling.
Related word forms
How gramme is actually used
The spelling is chiefly associated with British English. American English normally uses gram, although grammes is the standard plural of gramme. It is most often encountered in technical, scientific, nutritional, and commercial contexts involving small measurements.
Easily confused with gramme
They denote the same metric unit of mass, but gramme is chiefly a British spelling variant, while gram is the usual spelling in American English and is also standard in British usage.