Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A unit of weight in Germany and Scandinavia corresponding to the hundredweight and equal to 50 kilograms (110.23 pounds).
- n. A unit of weight in parts of the former Soviet Union equal to 100 kilograms (220.46 pounds).
- n. An assaying unit equal to one dram.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. In metal, and assaying, a weight divisible first into a hundred parts and then into smaller parts. Metallurgists use a weight divided into a hundred equal parts, each being equal to one pound, calling the whole a centner; the pound is divided into thirty-two parts or half-ounces, the half-ounce into two quarters, and each of these into two drams. But the assayers use different weights; with them a centner is one dram, to which the other parts are proportioned.
- n. A common name in many European countries for a hundredweight. It is now fixed at 50 kilos or 110.23 pounds avoirdupois throughout Germany, Austria, Sweden (after Jan. 1, 1889), Denmark, and Switzerland. The centner was generally 100 local pounds; but this was not always the case. Thus, the Cassel light centner was 108 light pounds, or 111.1 pounds avoirdupois; the old Prussian centner was usually 110 pounds, or 113.3 pounds avoirdupois; the Hamburg centner was 112 pounds, or 119.6 pounds avoirdupois; and the Bremen centner was 116 pounds, or 127.2 pounds avoirdupois. See centenaar, cantar, and quintal. The British cental has also been called
centner . Seecental .
Wiktionary
- n. A unit of weight with different actual definitions in parts of Germany and Scandinavia, typically 100 local pounds.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. (Metal. & Assaying) A weight divisible first into a hundred parts, and then into smaller parts.
- n. The commercial hundredweight in several of the continental countries, varying in different places from 100 to about 112 pounds.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a unit of weight equal to 100 kilograms
- n. a United States unit of weight equivalent to 100 pounds
- n. in some European countries: a unit of weight equivalent to 50 kilograms
Etymologies
- Probably from Lower German Zentner, comparable to the hundredweight (Wiktionary)
- German Zentner, from Old High German cëntenāri, from Latin centēnārius, of a hundred; see centenary. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“The centner of rice contains one hundred and twelve pounds.”
“Flour is sold in Carolina for from twelve to sixteen shillings a centner.”
“The German loths per centner (1/2 oz. (avoirdupois) to 100 lbs.) equal parts per 3200; they are converted into parts per cent. by dividing by”
A Text-book of Assaying: For the Use of Those Connected with Mines.
“Waltershausen estimates the annual consumption of that mineral for this single purpose at 850,000 centner, or more than forty thousand tons.”
Earth as Modified by Human Action, The~ Chapter 02 (historical)
“The Tajik Interior Ministry said yesterday its sources had reported over a centner (50 kilograms) of heroin stored in the household.”
“The structures are part of an interpretive centner on the Pigeon Creek Greenway Passage.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘centner’.
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phrontistery - c
from phrontistery.info
caballine, cabas, cable, caboched, cabochon, caboose, cabotage, cabré, cabrie, cabriole, cabriolet, cacaesthesia and 1298 more...
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The Measure of Man
Unusual, arcane, or obscure units of measure
cable, cabot, bushel, cade, caliper, callipic cycle, metonic cycle, cunit, air watt, ale gallon, allergy unit, amber and 228 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for centner.
reesetee 1. In some European countries, a unit of weight of 50 kilograms, equivalent to 110.2 pounds avoirdupois.
2. a unit of 100 kilograms.
Mar 28, 2007