uncia
[ uhn-shee-uh ]
/ ˈʌn ʃi ə /
noun, plural un·ci·ae [uhn-shee-ee] /ˈʌn ʃiˌi/.
a bronze coin of ancient Rome, the 12th part of an as.
(in prescriptions) an ounce of weight or volume.
Origin of uncia
1685–95; < Latin: a twelfth part, akin to
ūnus one; cf.
inch1
Words nearby uncia
unchic,
unchoke,
unchristian,
unchurch,
unchurched,
uncia,
uncial,
unciform,
unciform bone,
uncinaria,
uncinariasis
Example sentences from the Web for unciae
These "thorns" are apparently fairly rich, four unciae to the centumpondium being equivalent to about 97 ozs.
De Re Metallica |Georgius AgricolaThe Romans commonly used fractions with denominator 12; these were described as unciae (ounces), being twelfths of the as (pound).
Another way is to take two unciae of ore, a semi-uncia of litharge, two drachmae of Venetian glass and a semi-uncia of saltpetre.
De Re Metallica |Georgius Agricola