What does quintal mean?
A quintal is a unit of mass with two established values: 100 kilograms in the metric system and 100 pounds in the avoirdupoid system. The metric quintal is widely used in agriculture and trade, particularly in countries that use metric measurements, and phrases involving quantities of grain, rice, or other commodities commonly employ it. In Britain and the United States, the term is more often historical or specialized than everyday vocabulary. Its value must therefore be understood from context; a quintal mentioned alongside metric measurements normally means 100 kilograms, while one in an older avoirdupoid context means 100 pounds. The word has no strong positive or negative connotation and is valued chiefly as a precise example of how vocabulary reflects changing systems of measurement. It also has an unusually international history, having reached English through French and Spanish from an Arabic form ultimately associated with Greek and Latin terms for a hundred.
nounA unit of mass equal to 100 kilograms, known as the metric quintal, or equal to 100 pounds in the avoirdupoid system. The metric value is common in agricultural and commercial usage in many countries.
- A metric unit of mass equal to 100 kilograms, widely used in agricultural and commodity contexts.
- A unit of mass equal to 100 pounds in the avoirdupoid system, chiefly historical in Britain and still recognized in the United States.
"The farmer sold the harvest by the quintal."
"The warehouse received two quintals of grain."
"In an older U.S. context, a quintal of flour weighed 100 pounds."
The regular plural is formed by adding -s.
"Several quintals of grain were delivered to the mill."
A quintal is not always 100 pounds: in metric usage, it is 100 kilograms—about 220.46 pounds.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does quintal come from?
The English word entered in the late 16th century from French quintal, which was borrowed from Spanish quintal. Spanish had in turn borrowed the word from Arabic qintār, ultimately reflecting Greek kentērion, a term associated with Latin centum, “hundred.” This history accounts for the word’s longstanding association with a hundredweight or a mass of one hundred units.
Related word forms
How quintal is actually used
Usage may be technical, commercial, or agricultural rather than everyday. Because the term has both metric and avoirdupoid values, speakers often specify “metric quintal” when using the 100-kilogram sense.
Easily confused with quintal
A quintal is a unit of mass, whereas a quintet is a group of five, especially five performers or five musical notes.