troy

troy — adjective

1. relating to a traditional system for weighing precious metals and gemstones, in

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

relating to a traditional system for weighing precious metals and gemstones, in which one pound contains twelve ounces instead of the usual sixteen.

Example

The jeweller weighed the gold chain in troy ounces before pricing it.

troy + ounce: the most common compound

A troy pound is about 373 grams, which is lighter than a standard pound.

contrast: troy pound vs standard pound

Common collocations
  • troy ounce
  • troy pound
  • troy weight
  • troy unit
Synonyms
  • avoirdupois

    refers to the standard weight system of 16 ounces per pound; the two systems are contrasting, not interchangeable

Grammar Patterns

troy + noun (ounce / pound / weight)

Usage Note

Always placed before the noun it modifies (troy ounce, troy pound, troy weight). Never used predicatively — you cannot say 'this ounce is troy'.

Common Mistakes

A troy pound has sixteen ounces.
A troy pound has twelve ounces, while a standard pound has sixteen.
The number of ounces is the key difference between troy and avoirdupois pounds.

troy — noun

troy — idiom

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Troy, avoirdupois, and the metric system are three distinct weight systems, not synonyms. Troy is reserved for precious metals and gemstones, using a 12-ounce pound. Avoirdupois is the everyday system in the US and UK, using a 16-ounce pound for groceries, people, and general goods. The metric system (grams, kilograms) is the international standard used in science and most countries. For example, a gold bar is weighed in troy ounces, a bag of rice is weighed in avoirdupois pounds, and a medicine dose is measured in metric grams. Confusing troy with avoirdupois can lead to costly errors in metal trading.

troy ↗avoirdupoismetric system

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • troy weight
  • troy ounce
  • troy pound

Etymology

French (Troyes)Latin (Troia)Greek (Τροία)

The two meanings of 'troy' have different origins. The weight system comes from the French city of Troyes (pronounced /tʁwa/), a major medieval trading centre where this measurement was used for precious goods. The ancient city name comes from Latin Troia and Greek Τροία (Troia), named after the legendary king Tros. The two words happen to share the same spelling in English but are historically unrelated.