drachm

Etymology

Borrowed into late Middle English from Old French dragme (modern French drachme), from Late Latin dragma. Doublet of dirham.

noun

1. (units of measurement) A small unit of weight, variously:
   1. One sixteenth (1⁄16) of an ounce avoirdupois (1.77 g; symbol: ℨ or ʒ).
   2. (pharmacy) One eighth (1⁄8) of an ounce apothecary (3.89 g; symbol: ℨ or ʒ).
   3. (historical, obsolete) Alternative form of dirhem: a small former Turkish weight (variously 1.5–3.5 g).
      At Aleppo, and its port Scanderoon, the cantaro contains 100 rottoli, each of which is subdivided into 12 ounces, or 720 drachms... The rottolo with which the silks from Tripoli, and other parts of Syria, are weighed, consists of 700 drachms, answering to 4⅞ avoirdupois. The rottolo used in weighing the Persian silks contains 680 drachms, or nearly 4¾ lbs. avoirdupois. The rottolo of Damascus, with which brass, camphor, benzoin, spikenard, balsam of Mecca, and other drugs are weighed, contains 600 drachms, or 4¹⁄₅ lbs. avoirdupois. Five rottoli, or 3600 drachms, make what is called a vesno... At Saide, in Syria, (the ancient Sidon,) silk and sattin yarn are weighed with the rottolo of Damascus, of 600 drachms; 100 such rottoli answering to about 410 lbs. avoirdupois... At Smyrna, the cantaro, or kintal, contains 45 okes, or 100 rottoli. The batman is 6 okes, or 2400 drachms; and the oke is 400 drachms, and the rottolo = 180 drachms. The cantaro of 45 okes weighs 123 lbs. 4 oz. avoirdupois; and, therefore, the oke is = 2 lbs. 11 oz. 13 drs. avoirdupois. At Tripoli, the cantaro weight contains 100 rottoli, each of 6 ounces, or 128 termini; this cantaro answers to 168 lbs. peso sotile of Venice, or about 12 lbs. avoirdupois... 1819, Abraham Rees, The Cyclopaedia, Vol. XXX, s.v. "Rottolo"
   4. (historical, obsolete) Alternative form of drachma: a small former Greek weight (about 4.3 g).
2. (obsolete, numismatics) Alternative form of drachma">drachma: a Greek silver coin weighing one drachma">drachma.