Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A unit of weight formerly used in Spanish-speaking countries, equal to about 11.3 kilograms (25 pounds).
- noun A unit of weight formerly used in Portuguese-speaking countries, equal to about 14.4 kilograms (32 pounds).
- noun A liquid measure formerly used in Spanish-speaking countries, having varying value but equal to about 16.2 liters (17 quarts) when used to measure wine.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A Spanish and Portuguese unit of weight.
- noun A measure for wine, spirits, and oil in Spanish countries, arising from the Moorish practice of weighing those liquids; the cantara.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A Spanish weight used in Mexico and South America = 25.36 lbs. avoir.; also, an old Portuguese weight, used in Brazil = 32.38 lbs. avoir.
- noun A Spanish liquid measure for wine = 3.54 imp. gallons, and for oil = 2.78 imp. gallons.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun An old
Spanish weight used inMexico andSouth America , approximately 25.36 pounds avoirdupois. - noun An old
Portuguese weight used inBrazil , approximately 32.38 pounds avoirdupois. - noun An old
Spanish liquid measure , approximately 3.54imperial gallons (for wine) or 2.78 imperial gallons (for oil).
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a liquid measure (with different values) used in some Spanish speaking countries
- noun a unit of weight used in some Spanish speaking countries
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word arroba.
Examples
-
But the Indians have no scales, and accordingly for them the arroba was a thing of bulk and not of weight.
Head Hunters of the Amazon: Seven Years of Exploration and Adventure 1923
-
The arroba is a Spanish weight originally, to which no fixed standard can be assigned.
Head Hunters of the Amazon: Seven Years of Exploration and Adventure 1923
-
Just so you know in advance, the "@" symbol is called an "arroba", and it's made by keying ALT 6-4.
-
The Indians of America carry all their products, such as maize, sugar, coffee, etc., in bags made of this leaf, which they know how to arrange so well, that they transport an "arroba," or twenty-five pounds any distance without a single grain escaping, and without any appliance other than a liana or creeper to tie it up with.
-
I have gotten used to calling it the arroba though.
-
I have always heard Mexicans call the @ the arroba.
-
I have always heard Mexicans call the @ the arroba.
-
The first time I heard it called arroba was 1994 when I was doing research in TN.
-
The first time I heard it called arroba was 1994 when I was doing research in TN.
-
I have gotten used to calling it the arroba though.
reesetee commented on the word arroba
A Spanish measure used for wine or oil. An arroba of wine is equivalent to a little more than 25 pounds of grapes (about one basketful), which yields about 4.25 gallons (about 16 liters) of wine. An arroba of oil equals about 3.3 gallons (12.56 liters).
November 7, 2007
sionnach commented on the word arroba
It is, of course, also the Spanish word for the at sign, or ape tail, @.
Also, quarter of a quintal, one twentieth of a tonelada.
November 7, 2007
reesetee commented on the word arroba
Ha! Ape tail? I like it!
November 8, 2007
chained_bear commented on the word arroba
"'Then please be so good as to order me an arroba of the best upland Peruvian small-leaf. Here are five guineas as earnest-money.'"
--P. O'Brian, The Commodore, 205
March 18, 2008
knitandpurl commented on the word arroba
"Change your name, change your name, the arroba urged."
- "Apollo: Season Three" in "The Ground" by Rowan Ricardo Phillips
April 27, 2014