What does hundredweight mean?
A hundredweight is a unit of weight whose value varies by region. In the United States, it is equal to 100 pounds, while in Britain it traditionally means 112 pounds, or eight stone, under the long hundredweight system. The word is used in trade, agriculture, shipping, and other contexts where bulk quantities are measured, often in expressions such as “per hundredweight” or “a hundredweight of grain.” Although the name suggests a weight of one hundred units, the British measure reflects a historical standard rather than the modern decimal system. The term also appears in historical descriptions of commodities and in technical discussion of regional measurement systems. In everyday English, it is less common than pounds, kilograms, or tons, but it remains useful when a traditional bulk-weight unit is specifically intended.
nounA unit of weight equal to 100 pounds in the United States and traditionally 112 pounds, or eight stone, in Britain. The term may also occur in historical and trade contexts where a specific local standard applies.
- A unit of weight equal to 100 pounds in the United States.
- A unit of weight equal to 112 pounds, or eight stone, in Britain.
- A quantity weighing one such unit.
"The shipment weighed nearly two hundredweight."
"The farmer bought two hundredweight of fertilizer."
"The antique was too heavy to move without assistance, weighing more than a hundredweight."
Plural with the regular -s ending; the form “hundredweight” may be used unchanged when it functions as a unit label.
"The pallets held several hundredweights of grain."
It sounds like a weight of 100 pounds, but in Britain it traditionally weighs 112 pounds: a reminder that familiar measurement names can preserve centuries-old local conventions.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hundredweight come from?
The word is a compound of “hundred” and “weight,” both of which are Germanic in origin. In British usage, the name became associated with the long hundredweight, a traditional unit of 112 pounds, itself equal to eight stone of 14 pounds. The American hundredweight generally followed the short hundredweight of 100 pounds. The term’s history reflects the persistence of older local systems of wholesale measurement alongside newer standardized units.
How hundredweight is actually used
The American and British meanings are both standard within their respective regions. Outside specialist or historical contexts, a speaker may need to specify which system is intended.
Easily confused with hundredweight
A cental is a unit of mass equal to 100 pounds, especially in the United States, whereas a hundredweight can refer to either 100 pounds or 112 pounds depending on the regional system.