French ship Droits de l'Homme (1794) - Wikipedia
Droits de l'Homme was a Téméraire class 74-gun ship of the line of the French Navy during the French Revolutionary Wars. Launched in 1794, the ship saw ...
pied
Length55.87 metres (183.3 ft) (172 pied)Beam14.90 metres (48 ft 11 in) (45 pied 10 pouces)Draught7.26 metres (23.8 ft) (22 <anchor>pied</anchor>)PropulsionUp to 2,485 m2 (26,750 sq ft) of sailsArmament
Traditional French units of measurement - Wikipedia
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## Contents

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- [1History](#History)
- [2Tables of units of measure](#Tables_of_units_of_measure)Toggle Tables of units of measure subsection  - [2.1Length](#Length)
  - [2.2Area](#Area)
  - [2.3Volume – liquid measures](#Volume_–_liquid_measures)
  - [2.4Volume – dry measures](#Volume_–_dry_measures)
  - [2.5Weight](#Weight)
- [3See also](#See_also)
- [4References](#References)Toggle References subsection  - [4.1Sources](#Sources)
- [5Further reading](#Further_reading)

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# Traditional French units of measurement

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(Redirected from [Pied du roi](/w/index.php?title=Pied_du_roi&redirect=no "Pied du roi"))

French units of measurement before 1789

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[![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/26/Systeme-Metrique.jpg/200px-Systeme-Metrique.jpg)](/wiki/File:Systeme-Metrique.jpg) Woodcut dated 1800 illustrating the new decimal units which became the legal norm across all France on 4 November 1800

The **traditional [French units of measurement](/wiki/French_units_of_measurement "French units of measurement")** prior to [metrication](/wiki/Metrication "Metrication") were established under [Charlemagne](/wiki/Charlemagne "Charlemagne") during the [Carolingian Renaissance](/wiki/Carolingian_Renaissance "Carolingian Renaissance"). Based on contemporary [Byzantine](/wiki/Byzantine_units_of_measurement "Byzantine units of measurement") and [ancient Roman measures](/wiki/Ancient_Roman_units_of_measurement "Ancient Roman units of measurement"), the system established some consistency across [his empire](/wiki/Carolingian_Empire "Carolingian Empire") but, after his death, the empire fragmented and subsequent rulers and various localities introduced their own variants. Some of Charlemagne's units, such as the king's foot ( [French](/wiki/French_language "French language"): _pied du Roi_) remained virtually unchanged for about a thousand years, while others important to commerce—such as the French ell (_aune_) used for cloth and the French pound (_livre_) used for amounts—varied dramatically from locality to locality. By the 18th century, the number of units of measure had grown to the extent that it was almost impossible to keep track of them and one of the major legacies of the [French Revolution](/wiki/French_Revolution "French Revolution") was the dramatic rationalization of measures as the new [metric system](/wiki/Metric_system "Metric system"). The change was extremely unpopular, however, and a metricized version of the traditional units—the _[mesures usuelles](/wiki/Mesures_usuelles "Mesures usuelles")_—had to be brought back into use for several decades.

## History

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Traditional_French_units_of_measurement&action=edit&section=1 "Edit section: History")\]

[![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Pernes_-_Mesures_anciennes.JPG/220px-Pernes_-_Mesures_anciennes.JPG)](/wiki/File:Pernes_-_Mesures_anciennes.JPG) Table of the measuring units used in the 17th century at [Pernes-les-Fontaines](/wiki/Pernes-les-Fontaines "Pernes-les-Fontaines") in the covered market at [Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur](/wiki/Provence-Alpes-C%C3%B4te_d%27Azur "Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur") [region](/wiki/Regions_of_France "Regions of France") of southeastern [France](/wiki/France "France")

Although in the pre-revolutionary era (before 1795) France used a system and units of measure that had many of the characteristics of contemporary [English units](/wiki/English_units "English units") (or the later [Imperial System](/wiki/Imperial_System "Imperial System") of units), France still lacked a unified, countrywide system of measurement. Whereas in England [Magna Carta](/wiki/Magna_Carta "Magna Carta") had decreed that "there shall be one unit of measure throughout the realm", Charlemagne and successive kings had tried but failed to impose a unified system of measurement in France.[\[1\]](#cite_note-histmet-1)

The names and relationships of many units of measure were adopted from Roman units of measure, and many more were added – it has been estimated that there were seven or eight hundred different names for the various units of measure. Moreover, the quantity associated with each unit of measure differed from town to town and even from trade to trade. Some of the differences were large: for example the _lieue_ (league) could vary from 3.268 km in [Beauce](/wiki/Beauce,_France "Beauce, France") to 5.849 km in [Provence](/wiki/Provence "Provence"). It has been estimated that on the eve of the Revolution a quarter of a million different units of measure were in use in France.[\[2\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEAdler20022–3-2)
Although certain standards, such as the _pied du Roi_ (the King's foot) had a degree of pre-eminence and were used by _[savants](/wiki/Scholarly_method "Scholarly method")_, many traders chose to use their own measuring devices, giving scope for fraud and hindering commerce and industry.[\[1\]](#cite_note-histmet-1)

## Tables of units of measure

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Traditional_French_units_of_measurement&action=edit&section=2 "Edit section: Tables of units of measure")\]

[![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Grand_Ch%C3%A2telet_1650.jpg/220px-Grand_Ch%C3%A2telet_1650.jpg)](/wiki/File:Grand_Ch%C3%A2telet_1650.jpg) 17th-century engraving of the Grand Châtelet[![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Tours_pont_Wilson_rep%C3%A8res_hauteurs_Loire.jpg/220px-Tours_pont_Wilson_rep%C3%A8res_hauteurs_Loire.jpg)](/wiki/File:Tours_pont_Wilson_rep%C3%A8res_hauteurs_Loire.jpg) Flood levels at the _pont Wilson_ at [Tours](/wiki/Tours "Tours") in both metres and _pied royal_

These definitions use the Paris definitions for the _coutume_ of Paris,[\[3\]](#cite_note-3) and definitions for other [Ancien régime](/wiki/Ancien_r%C3%A9gime "Ancien régime") civil jurisdictions varied, at times quite significantly.

### Length

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Traditional_French_units_of_measurement&action=edit&section=3 "Edit section: Length")\]

The medieval royal units of length were based on the _toise_, and in particular the _toise de l'Écritoire_, the distance between the fingertips of the outstretched arms of a man, which was introduced in 790 by [Charlemagne](/wiki/Charlemagne "Charlemagne").[\[4\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTERowlett-4)

The _toise_ had 6 _pieds_ (feet) each of 326.6 mm (12.86 in). In 1668 the reference standard was found to have been deformed, and it was replaced by the _toise du Châtelet_ which, to accommodate the deformation of the earlier standard, was around 11 mm (0.55%) shorter.

In 1747 this _toise_ was replaced by a new _toise_ of near-identical length – the _Toise du Pérou_, custody of which was given to _l'Académie des Sciences au Louvre_.[\[5\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEFévrier-5)

Although the _pouce_ ( [inch](/wiki/Inch "Inch")), _pied_ ( [foot](/wiki/Foot_(unit) "Foot (unit)")) and _toise_ ( [fathom](/wiki/Fathom "Fathom")) were fairly consistent throughout most of pre-revolutionary France, some areas had local variants of the _toise_. Other units of measure such as the _aune_ ( [ell](/wiki/Ell "Ell")), the _perche_ ( [perch or rood](/wiki/Perch_(unit) "Perch (unit)")), the _[arpent](/wiki/Arpent "Arpent")_ and the _lieue_ ( [league](/wiki/League_(unit) "League (unit)")) had a number of variations, particularly the _aune_ (which was used to measure cloth).[\[6\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDarcy-Bertuletti2005-6)

The _loi du 19 frimaire an VIII_ (Law of 10 December 1799) states that one decimal metre is exactly 443.296 French [lines](/wiki/Line_(unit) "Line (unit)"), or _3 pieds 11.296 lignes de la "Toise du Pérou"_.[\[7\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDébarbat-7)
Thus the French royal foot is exactly ⁠9000/27 706⁠ metres (about 0.3248 m).[\[8\]](#cite_note-8)

In [Quebec](/wiki/Quebec "Quebec"), the surveys in French units were converted using the relationship 1 _pied_ (of the French variety, the same word being used for English feet as well) = 12.789 English [inches](/wiki/Inch "Inch").[\[9\]](#cite_note-9) This makes the Quebec _pied_ very slightly smaller (about 4 parts in one million) than the _pied_ used in France.

Table of length units
Unit
Relative

value

( _pieds_)
[SI](/wiki/SI "SI")

value

(approx.)Imperial

value

(approx.)Notes
_[point](/wiki/Point_(typography)#The_French_printer's_points "Point (typography)")_1⁄17280.188 mm
7.401 thou
1⁄12 of a _ligne_. This unit is usually called the [Truchet point](/wiki/Point_(typography)#Truchet "Point (typography)") in English. Prior to the French Revolution the [Fournier point](/wiki/Point_(typography)#Fournier "Point (typography)") was also in use. It was 1⁄6 of a _ligne_ or 1⁄864 of the smaller French foot.
_[ligne](/wiki/Ligne "Ligne")_1⁄1442.256 mm
88.81 thou
1⁄12 of a _pouce_. This corresponds to the [line](/wiki/Line_(unit) "Line (unit)"), a traditional English unit.
_[pouce](/wiki/Paris_inch "Paris inch")_1⁄1227.07 mm
1.066 in
1⁄12 of a _pied du roi_. This corresponds to the [inch](/wiki/Inch "Inch"), a traditional English unit.
_pied du roi_1
32.48 cm
1.066 ft
Commonly abbreviated to _pied_, this corresponds to the [foot](/wiki/Foot_(length) "Foot (length)"), a traditional English unit. Known in English as the Paris foot (properly a separate, shorter unit), the royal foot, or French foot.
_[toise](/wiki/Toise "Toise")_6
1.949 m
6.394 ft, or

2.131 yd
Six _pieds du roi_. This corresponds to the [fathom](/wiki/Fathom "Fathom"), a traditional English unit. Unlike the fathom, it was used in both land and sea contexts.

The _Toise du Chatelet_ was introduced in 1668 and defined by an iron bar on the Grand Chatelet. This was replaced by the _Toise du Perou_ in 1766.[\[10\]](#cite_note-10)**Paris**_perche d'arpent_22
7.146 m
7.815 yd
Related to, but not directly corresponding with, the English [perch or rod](/wiki/Perch_(unit) "Perch (unit)") (which is 16+1⁄2 feet, approximately three-quarters of the French _perche_).
_[arpent](/wiki/Arpent "Arpent")_220
71.46 m
78.15 yd
Ten _perches_.
_lieue ancienne_10 000
3.248 km
2.018 miles
This is an old French [league](/wiki/League_(unit) "League (unit)"), defined as 10 000 (a myriad) _pieds_. It was the official league in parts of France until 1674.
_lieue de Paris_12 000
3.898 km
2.422 miles
This league was defined in 1674 as exactly 2000 ' **. After 1737, it was also called the "league of bridges and roads" ( _lieue des Ponts et des Chaussées_).**_lieue des Postes_13 200
4.288 km
2.664 miles
This league is 2200 _toises_ or 60 _arpents_. It was created in 1737.
_lieue de 25 au degré_~13 692
4.448 km
2.764 miles
Linked to the circumference of the Earth, with 25 _lieues_ making up one degree of a great circle. (Compare the international [nautical mile](/wiki/Nautical_mile "Nautical mile"), of which 60 make one degree; one _lieue_ therefore equaling 2.4 nautical miles.) It was measured by Picard in 1669 to be 2282 _toises_.
_lieue tarifaire_14 400
4.678 km
2.907 miles
This league is 2400 _toises_. It was created in 1737.
**North America**_perche du roi_18
5.847 m
6.394 yd
This perch was used in [Quebec](/wiki/Quebec "Quebec") and [Louisiana](/wiki/Louisiana "Louisiana")_arpent (du roi)_180
58.47 m
63.94 yd
Ten _perches du roi_.
**Local**_perche ordinaire_20
6.497 m
7.105 yd
This perch was used locally.
_arpent (ordinaire)_200
64.97 m
71.05 yd
Ten _perches ordinaires_.

- The French [typographic point](/wiki/Point_(typography) "Point (typography)"), the [Didot](/wiki/Didot_family#François-Ambroise_Didot "Didot family") point, was 1⁄72 of a French inch, i.e. two royal points. The French [pica](/wiki/Pica_(typography) "Pica (typography)"), called _Cicéro_, measured 12 Didot points or 1⁄6 inch.

### Area

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Traditional_French_units_of_measurement&action=edit&section=4 "Edit section: Area")\]

Table of area units
Unit
Relative

value

( _pieds carrés_)
[SI](/wiki/SI "SI")

value
Imperial

value
Notes
_pied carré_1
~1055 cm2~1.136 sq ft
The French [square foot](/wiki/Square_foot "Square foot")_toise carrée_36
~3.799 m2~40.889 sq ft, or

~4.543 sq yd
The French square fathom
**Paris**_perche d'arpent carrée_484
~51.07 m2~61.08 sq yd
This was the main square perch in old French surveying. It is a square 22 _pieds du roi_ on each side.
_[vergée](/wiki/Verg%C3%A9e "Vergée")_12 100
~1277 m2~1527 sq yd
A square 5 _perches_ on each side, or one quarter of an [acre](/wiki/Acre "Acre").
_[acre](/wiki/Acre "Acre")_, or

_[arpent carré](/wiki/Arpent "Arpent")_48 400
~5107 m2~6108 sq yd, or

~1.262 acres
The French acre is a square 10 _perches_ (one _arpent_) on each side. (Does not exactly correspond to the English acre, which is defined as 43 560 square feet.)
**North America**_perche du roi carrée_324
~34.19 m2~40.89 sq yd
This square perch was used in Quebec and Louisiana. It is a square 18 _pieds du roi_ on each side.
_vergée (du roi)_8100
~854.7 m2~1022 sq yd
A square 5 _perches du roi_ on each side.
_acre (du roi)_, or

_arpent carré_32 400
~3419 m2~4089 sq yd, or

~0.8448 acres
A square 10 _perches du roi_ on each side. Certain U.S. states have their own official definitions for the [(square) arpent](/wiki/Arpent "Arpent"), which vary slightly from this value.
**Local**_perche (ordinaire) carrée_400
~42.21 m2~50.48 sq yd
This square perch was used locally. It is a square 20 _pieds du roi_ on each side.
_vergée (ordinaire)_10 000
~1055 m2~1262 sq yd
A square 5 _perches ordinaires_ on each side.
_acre (ordinaire)_, or

_arpent carré_40 000
~4221 m2~5048 sq yd, or

~1.043 acres
A square 10 _perches ordinaires_ on each side.

### Volume – liquid measures

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Traditional_French_units_of_measurement&action=edit&section=5 "Edit section: Volume – liquid measures")\]

Table of (liquid) volume units
Unit
Relative

value

( _pintes_)
[SI](/wiki/SI "SI")

value
[U.S.](/wiki/U.S._customary_units "U.S. customary units")

value
[Imperial](/wiki/Imperial_unit "Imperial unit")

value
Notes
_roquille_1⁄32~29.75 ml
One quarter of a _poisson_.
_poisson_1⁄8~119 ml
A measure equal to a half a _demiard_. There were different sizes based on the commodity measured: _poisson de vin_ (wine), _poisson de eau de vie_ (brandy), or _poisson de lait_ (milk).[\[11\]](#cite_note-11)_[demiard](/wiki/Demiard "Demiard")_1⁄4~238 ml
~0.5 pint
_demi_ in French means "half": in this case, half a _chopine_, and – coincidentally – also approximately half a US pint \[237 ml\].
_chopine_1⁄2~476.1 ml
~1 pint
~0.84 pint
_pinte_1
~952.1 ml
~2.01 pint
~1.68 pint
Although etymologically related to the English unit [pint](/wiki/Pint "Pint"), the French pint is about twice as large. It was the main small unit in common use, and measured 1⁄36 of a cubic _pied du roi_.
_quade_2
~1.904 L
~0.5 gallon
~0.42 gallon
_velte_8
~7.617 L
~2.01 gallon
~1.68 gallon
a _velte_ was a measuring stick that was inserted into a cask or barrel to determine its depth.
_quartaut_72
~68.55 L
9 _veltes_, or two cubic _pieds du roi_.
_feuillette_144
~137.1 L
_muid_288
~274.2 L
Eight cubic _pieds du roi_.
**cubic**_pouce cube_1⁄48~19.84 ml
The French cubic inch.
_pied cube_36
~34.28 L
The French cubic foot. In ancient times, a cubic foot was also known as an _[amphora](/wiki/Amphora_(measure) "Amphora (measure)")_ when measuring liquid volume.

### Volume – dry measures

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Traditional_French_units_of_measurement&action=edit&section=6 "Edit section: Volume – dry measures")\]

Table of (dry) volume units
Unit
Relative

value

( _boisseaux_)
SI

value
Imperial

value
[U.S.](/wiki/United_States_customary_units#Dry_volume "United States customary units")

value
Notes
_litron_1⁄16793.5 cm30.1745 imp gal
0.1801 U.S. dry gal
1⁄4 of a _quart_. The _[litre](/wiki/Litre "Litre")_ is etymologically related to this unit.
_quart_1⁄43.174 dm30.698 imp gal
0.721 U.S. dry gal
1⁄4 of a _boisseau_.
_boisseau_1
12.7 dm32.8 imp gal
2.9 U.S. dry gal
Although etymologically related to the English unit [bushel](/wiki/Bushel "Bushel"), the French bushel is about one third the size. A _boisseau_ was defined as 10⁄27 of a cubic _pied du roi_.
_[minot](/wiki/Minot_(unit) "Minot (unit)")_3
38.09 dm38.38 imp gal
8.65 U.S. dry gal
_mine_6
76.17 dm316.76 imp gal
17.29 U.S. dry gal
_setier_12
152.3 dm333.5 imp gal
34.6 U.S. dry gal
_muid_144
1.828 m3402 imp gal
415 U.S. dry gal
**cubic**_pouce cube_1⁄640~19.84 cm3~1.211 cu in
The French cubic inch.
_pied cube_2+7⁄10~34.28 dm3~2,092 cu in
The French cubic foot. Exactly 2.7 _boisseaux_.

### Weight

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Traditional_French_units_of_measurement&action=edit&section=7 "Edit section: Weight")\]

The Parisian equivalents (in livres) of 100 local livres in various towns in 1768[\[12\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEExpilly1768712-12)

(approximations per source)
Abbeville93–94
Avignon83
Beaucare95
Bordeaux100
Bourg-en-Bresse96
Dunkirk87
Lille87–88
Lyon87
Marseilles81
Montepellier83
Nancy94–95
Nantes101–102
La Rochelle101–102
Rouen ( _poids de vicomté_)103
Strasbourg ( _petit poids_)96
Toulouse84
Differences between the nominal and actual weights (in _marcs moyens_) in the parts of the _pile de Charlemagne_ as measured by [Jean-Charles de Borda](/wiki/Jean-Charles_de_Borda "Jean-Charles de Borda")[\[13\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHarkness1888lix-13)Nominal

( _marcs_)Error in actual

( _grains_)
20+1.4
14+4.5
8-0.4
4-2.1
2-1.0
1 (creux)-0.7
1 (plein)-1.7

Charlemagne's system had 12 _onces_ ( [ounces](/wiki/Ounce "Ounce")) to the _livre_ ( [pound](/wiki/Pound_(mass) "Pound (mass)")).[\[14\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTESaigey1834114-14)
Between 1076 and 1093 [Philip I](/wiki/Philip_I_of_France "Philip I of France") (1052–1108) instituted a system of _poids de marc_ (mark weight) used for minting coin, with 8 _onces_ to a _marc_.[\[14\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTESaigey1834114-14)

[Jean II](/wiki/Jean_II_of_France "Jean II of France") (1319–1364) constructed a new standard of measures, including a _livre actuelle_ ("current" pound, also known as a _livre de poids de marc_ or "mark weight" pound) of 2 _marcs_, i.e. 16 _onces_.[\[15\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTESaigey1834114–115-15)
The Charlemagne 12-ounce _livre_ became known as the _livre esterlin_ ("true" pound) in order to distinguish it.[\[16\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTESaigey1834116-16)[\[17\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEBlomeStockingWatts193930-17)
″Esterlin″ was an Old French word (ca. 1190, Anglo-Norman dialect) that referred to Scottish coin (sterling, or ″denier″).[\[18\]](#cite_note-18) As references cited later on this page show, its application changed over time in accordance with the changing historical context, though it is not current in Modern French.

The _livre actuelle_ could be sub-divided into 2 _demi-livres_ (half-pounds), 4 _quarterons_, or 8 _demi-quarterons_.[\[19\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDu_Mersan1833635-19)
Conversely, there were 100 _livres_ in a _quintal_ (c.f. English [hundredweight](/wiki/Hundredweight "Hundredweight")).[\[19\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDu_Mersan1833635-19)
The fractional parts of an _once_ had different names in [Apothecary measure](/wiki/Apothecaries%27_system "Apothecaries' system") (used in medicine) and measure of precious metals, but the fractional ratios were themselves the same: 1 _once_ was 8 _drachme_ (Apothecary, c.f. English [dram](/wiki/Dram_(unit) "Dram (unit)")) or _gros_; 1 _drachme_/ _gros_ was 3 _scruples_ (Apothecary, c.f. English [scruple](/wiki/Scruple_(unit) "Scruple (unit)")) or _deniers_, and 1 _scruple_/ _denier_ was 24 _[grains](/wiki/Grain_(unit) "Grain (unit)")_.[\[20\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTESaigey1834115-20)[\[21\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTECrease201173-21)
This makes 384 _deniers_ in a _livre_ in weight measure, which contrasts with the old [monetary _livre_](/wiki/French_livre "French livre") in France which was divided into 240 [deniers](/wiki/Denier_(coin) "Denier (coin)").[\[22\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGarnier1841a1356-22)

Jean II's standards are preserved in the Conservatoire Nationale des Arts et Métiers, which also holds a set of later-still physical standards from the 15th century, the so-called _pile de Charlemagne_.[\[21\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTECrease201173-21)[\[23\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMorin1864248-23)
This _pile_ defined the weight of 50 _marcs_, i.e. 400 _onces_, and thus 25 _livres actuelles_, or 331⁄3 _livres esterlins_.[\[14\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTESaigey1834114-14)[\[24\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEZupko1990116-24)
It had been kept in the royal palaces originally.[\[25\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTESavarySavary174226-25)
In 1540 [François I](/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_I_of_France "François I of France") (1494–1547) had transferred it to the [Cour des monnaies](/wiki/Cour_des_monnaies "Cour des monnaies"), where it had been held in a cabinet with three locks, whose keys had been held separately by the president of the Cour, one of its counsellors, and a clerk.[\[25\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTESavarySavary174226-25)

The thirteen individual pieces that made up the Parisian _pile de Charlemagne_ comprised an outer containing cylinder nominally weighing 20 marcs, and a set of hollow nesting cups within, topped with a filled weight as the smallest piece.[\[24\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEZupko1990116-24)[\[26\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEWitthöft2018249-26)[\[27\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDaumas1970207-27)
The heaviest cups were nominally 14, 8, 4, and 2 _marcs_, sub-totalling 48 marcs (including the 20 marc outer container); followed by a nominally 1 marc hollow cup which was termed the _marc creux_ (hollow mark); and followed by 6 further cups (4, 2, and 1 _onces_, and 4, 2, and 1 _gros_) with a final seventh filled 1 _gros_ weight, all totalling 1 marc, which was termed the _marc plein_ (filled mark).[\[24\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEZupko1990116-24)[\[26\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEWitthöft2018249-26)[\[28\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMongezde_La_Métherie1799171-28)[\[27\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDaumas1970207-27)

Unfortunately, the weights were not consistent, with the _marc plein_ not being the same weight as the _marc creux_, and neither being the same as a [mean](/wiki/Mean_(average) "Mean (average)") 1 marc weight determined from the weight of the whole _pile_.[\[24\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEZupko1990116-24)[\[28\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMongezde_La_Métherie1799171-28)
So when the time came to work out the conversion factors between these measures and the metric system, the whole _pile_ was taken to define 50 Parisian standard _marcs_, and thus 230 400 _grains_ (the number of grains in 50 _marcs_).[\[24\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEZupko1990116-24) [Louis Lefèvre‑Gineau](/wiki/Louis_Lef%C3%A8vre%E2%80%91Gineau "Louis Lefèvre‑Gineau") initially determined that the metric weight of the whole _pile_ was 12.227 947 5 kg,[\[28\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMongezde_La_Métherie1799171-28) later corrected to 12.2376 kg,[\[29\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDoursther1840427-29) thereby making (by division and rounded to three decimal places) a _marc_ 244.753 g, a _livre esterlin_ 367.129 g, and a _livre actuelle_ 489.506 g.[\[20\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTESaigey1834115-20)[\[30\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGarnier1841a1355-30)
Hence further the (Parisian) _once_ was 30.594 g, the _gros_/ _drachme_ was 3.824 g, the _denier_/ _scruple_ was 1.274 g, and the _grain_ was 0.053 g.[\[19\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEDu_Mersan1833635-19)[\[16\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTESaigey1834116-16)

However, the actual weights of the pre-metric measures were nowhere near even this simple.[\[31\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTECrease201174-31)
These were just the Parisian standards, and individual provinces, cities, and even guilds, all had their own reference physical standards, which were not checked against one another and which sometimes conflated _esterlin_ and _actuelle_.[\[31\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTECrease201174-31)
For just some examples: the Marseille _livre_ was 399.6 g, the Montpelier one 394.9 g, the Toulon one 465.5 g, and the Toulouse one 413.2 g; with all of the fractional subdivisions having different values accordingly.[\[32\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGarnier1841a1355–1356-32)
The Limoges _marc_ was 240.929 g, the Tours one 237.869 g, and the Troyes one 250.050 g.[\[33\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGarnier1841b1447-33)

Furthermore, there were also _livres_ comprising different numbers of _onces_ to both the _actuelle_ and _esterlin_, including _livres_ of 14, 18, and 20 _onces_, confusing things yet further.[\[34\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTESaigey1834116–117-34)
The _livre_ in the _poids de table_ (table weight) systems used in Provence and Languedoc (and a common name for provincial weight systems in general alongside _poids de pays_, country weight, and _poids de ville_, town weight) was the same weight as 15 _onces_ or even as low as 13 _onces_ in the Parisian _poids de marc_,[\[35\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEGuilhiermoz1906402-35)[\[36\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPeuchet1801poids_de_table-36)[\[37\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKelly1811294-37)[\[12\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEExpilly1768712-12) and the _livre_ in the _poids de soie_ (silk weight) system of Lyon was similarly just 15⁄16 the weight of the Parisian _livre_.[\[38\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPeuchet1801poids_de_soie-38)[\[12\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEExpilly1768712-12)
This caused an erroneous belief that these _livres_ comprised 13, 14, or 15 _onces_, however this was a confusion stemming from the equivalent _poids de marc_ weights, and both _poids de table_ and _poids de soie_ had 16 of their own, lighter, _onces_ and so forth,[\[38\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPeuchet1801poids_de_soie-38)[\[36\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPeuchet1801poids_de_table-36)[\[12\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEExpilly1768712-12)
Rouen had a _poids de vicomté_ system.[\[12\]](#cite_note-FOOTNOTEExpilly1768712-12)

## See also

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Traditional_French_units_of_measurement&action=edit&section=8 "Edit section: See also")\]

- [International System of Units](/wiki/International_System_of_Units "International System of Units")
- [Jean-Antoine Chaptal](/wiki/Jean-Antoine_Chaptal "Jean-Antoine Chaptal")
- [Mansus](/wiki/Mansus "Mansus")
- [Mesures usuelles](/wiki/Mesures_usuelles "Mesures usuelles")
- [Réaumur scale](/wiki/R%C3%A9aumur_scale "Réaumur scale")
- [Systems of measurement](/wiki/Systems_of_measurement "Systems of measurement")
- [Weights and measures](/wiki/Weights_and_measures "Weights and measures")

## References

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Traditional_French_units_of_measurement&action=edit&section=9 "Edit section: References")\]

01. ^ [_**a**_](#cite_ref-histmet_1-0) [_**b**_](#cite_ref-histmet_1-1)["History of measurement"](http://www.french-metrology.com/en/history/history-mesurement.asp). Métrologie française. Retrieved 2011-02-06.
02. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAdler20022–3_2-0)**[Adler 2002](#CITEREFAdler2002), pp. 2–3.
03. **[^](#cite_ref-3)**See [fr:Droit coutumier en France](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Droit_coutumier_en_France "fr:Droit coutumier en France").
04. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERowlett_4-0)**[Rowlett](#CITEREFRowlett).
05. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFévrier_5-0)**[Février](#CITEREFFévrier).
06. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDarcy-Bertuletti2005_6-0)**[Darcy-Bertuletti 2005](#CITEREFDarcy-Bertuletti2005).
07. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDébarbat_7-0)**[Débarbat](#CITEREFDébarbat).
08. **[^](#cite_ref-8)**This can be shown by noting that 27,706 × 16 = 443,296 and that 9 × 16 = 144, the number of _lignes_ in a _pied_.
09. **[^](#cite_ref-9)**[Weights and Measures Act, Schedule III](https://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/W-6)
10. **[^](#cite_ref-10)**Nelson, Robert A. (December 1981). _The Physics Teacher_: 597.`{{cite journal}}`: Missing or empty `|title=` ( [help](/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#citation_missing_title "Help:CS1 errors"))
11. **[^](#cite_ref-11)**[_Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francais_ (8th edition)](https://www.dictionnaire-academie.fr/article/A9C2127)
12. ^ [_**a**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEExpilly1768712_12-0) [_**b**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEExpilly1768712_12-1) [_**c**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEExpilly1768712_12-2) [_**d**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEExpilly1768712_12-3) [_**e**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEExpilly1768712_12-4)[Expilly 1768](#CITEREFExpilly1768), p. 712.
13. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHarkness1888lix_13-0)**[Harkness 1888](#CITEREFHarkness1888), p. lix.
14. ^ [_**a**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESaigey1834114_14-0) [_**b**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESaigey1834114_14-1) [_**c**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESaigey1834114_14-2)[Saigey 1834](#CITEREFSaigey1834), p. 114.
15. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESaigey1834114–115_15-0)**[Saigey 1834](#CITEREFSaigey1834), pp. 114–115.
16. ^ [_**a**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESaigey1834116_16-0) [_**b**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESaigey1834116_16-1)[Saigey 1834](#CITEREFSaigey1834), p. 116.
17. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBlomeStockingWatts193930_17-0)**[Blome, Stocking & Watts 1939](#CITEREFBlomeStockingWatts1939), p. 30.
18. **[^](#cite_ref-18)**[Greimas, Algirdas Julien](/wiki/Algirdas_Julien_Greimas "Algirdas Julien Greimas"), ed. (1992). "Esterlin". _Dictionnaire de l'ancien français: le Moyen Age_. Larousse. p. 265.
19. ^ [_**a**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDu_Mersan1833635_19-0) [_**b**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDu_Mersan1833635_19-1) [_**c**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDu_Mersan1833635_19-2)[Du Mersan 1833](#CITEREFDu_Mersan1833), p. 635.
20. ^ [_**a**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESaigey1834115_20-0) [_**b**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESaigey1834115_20-1)[Saigey 1834](#CITEREFSaigey1834), p. 115.
21. ^ [_**a**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECrease201173_21-0) [_**b**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECrease201173_21-1)[Crease 2011](#CITEREFCrease2011), p. 73.
22. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarnier1841a1356_22-0)**[Garnier 1841a](#CITEREFGarnier1841a), p. 1356.
23. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMorin1864248_23-0)**[Morin 1864](#CITEREFMorin1864), p. 248.
24. ^ [_**a**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEZupko1990116_24-0) [_**b**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEZupko1990116_24-1) [_**c**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEZupko1990116_24-2) [_**d**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEZupko1990116_24-3) [_**e**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEZupko1990116_24-4)[Zupko 1990](#CITEREFZupko1990), p. 116.
25. ^ [_**a**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESavarySavary174226_25-0) [_**b**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESavarySavary174226_25-1)[Savary & Savary 1742](#CITEREFSavarySavary1742), p. 26.
26. ^ [_**a**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEWitthöft2018249_26-0) [_**b**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEWitthöft2018249_26-1)[Witthöft 2018](#CITEREFWitthöft2018), p. 249.
27. ^ [_**a**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDaumas1970207_27-0) [_**b**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDaumas1970207_27-1)[Daumas 1970](#CITEREFDaumas1970), p. 207.
28. ^ [_**a**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMongezde_La_Métherie1799171_28-0) [_**b**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMongezde_La_Métherie1799171_28-1) [_**c**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMongezde_La_Métherie1799171_28-2)[Mongez & de La Métherie 1799](#CITEREFMongezde_La_Métherie1799), p. 171.
29. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDoursther1840427_29-0)**[Doursther 1840](#CITEREFDoursther1840), p. 427.
30. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarnier1841a1355_30-0)**[Garnier 1841a](#CITEREFGarnier1841a), p. 1355.
31. ^ [_**a**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECrease201174_31-0) [_**b**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTECrease201174_31-1)[Crease 2011](#CITEREFCrease2011), p. 74.
32. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarnier1841a1355–1356_32-0)**[Garnier 1841a](#CITEREFGarnier1841a), pp. 1355–1356.
33. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGarnier1841b1447_33-0)**[Garnier 1841b](#CITEREFGarnier1841b), p. 1447.
34. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTESaigey1834116–117_34-0)**[Saigey 1834](#CITEREFSaigey1834), pp. 116–117.
35. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGuilhiermoz1906402_35-0)**[Guilhiermoz 1906](#CITEREFGuilhiermoz1906), p. 402.
36. ^ [_**a**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPeuchet1801poids_de_table_36-0) [_**b**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPeuchet1801poids_de_table_36-1)[Peuchet 1801](#CITEREFPeuchet1801), poids de table.
37. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKelly1811294_37-0)**[Kelly 1811](#CITEREFKelly1811), p. 294.
38. ^ [_**a**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPeuchet1801poids_de_soie_38-0) [_**b**_](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPeuchet1801poids_de_soie_38-1)[Peuchet 1801](#CITEREFPeuchet1801), poids de soie.

### Sources

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Traditional_French_units_of_measurement&action=edit&section=10 "Edit section: Sources")\]

- Adler, Ken (2002). _The Measure of all Things—The Seven-Year-Odyssey that Transformed the World_. London: Abacus. [ISBN](/wiki/ISBN_(identifier) "ISBN (identifier)") [0349115079](/wiki/Special:BookSources/0349115079 "Special:BookSources/0349115079").
- Blome, Walter Henry; Stocking, Charles Howard; Watts, Edward Cecil (1939). _Fundamentals of Pharmacy: Theoretical and Practical_. Lea & Febiger.
- Crease, Robert P. (2011). "France: 'Realities of life and labour'". _World in the Balance: The Historic Quest for an Absolute System of Measurement_. W. W. Norton & Company. [ISBN](/wiki/ISBN_(identifier) "ISBN (identifier)") [9780393082043](/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780393082043 "Special:BookSources/9780393082043").
- Darcy-Bertuletti, Yvette (2005). ["Tableau des mesures les plus courantes en usage dans le pays beaunois"](http://www.beaune.fr/IMG/pdf/Metrologie.pdf) \[Table of the most widely used measurents in the Beaune locality\] (PDF) (in French). Ville de Beaune. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
- Daumas, Maurice, ed. (1970). [_A History of Technology & Invention: The expansion of mechanization, 1725–1860_](https://archive.org/details/historyoftechnol03daum). Vol. 2. Crown Publishers. [ISBN](/wiki/ISBN_(identifier) "ISBN (identifier)") [9780517520376](/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780517520376 "Special:BookSources/9780517520376").
- Débarbat, Suzanne. ["Fixation de la longueur définitive du mètre"](http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/actualites/celebrations/metre.htm) \[Establishing the definitive metre\] (in French). Ministère de la culture et de la communication ( [French](/wiki/French_language "French language") ministry of culture and communications). Retrieved 2011-03-01.
- Doursther, Horace (1840). "Pile de Charlemagne". _Dictionnaire universel des poids et mesures anciens et modernes_. Brussels: l ́académie.
- Du Mersan (1833). "Livre (poids et monnaie)". _Encyclopédie des gens du monde_. Paris: Treuttel et Würtz. ( [Encyclopédie des gens du monde](https://archive.org/stream/bub_gb_DckUAAAAYAAJ#page/n649/mode/2up) at the [Internet Archive](/wiki/Internet_Archive "Internet Archive"))
- Expilly, Jean-Joseph (1768). "Poids". _Dictionnaire géographique, historique et politique des Gaules et de la France_. Amsterdam: Desaint et Saillant. ( [Dictionnaire géographique, historique et politique des Gaules et de la France](https://archive.org/stream/bub_gb_T1Q_AAAAcAAJ#page/n719/mode/2up) at the [Internet Archive](/wiki/Internet_Archive "Internet Archive"))
- Février, Denis. ["Un historique du mètre"](http://www.industrie.gouv.fr/metro/aquoisert/metre.htm) (in French). Ministère de l'Economie, des Finances et de l'Industrie. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
- Garnier, Joseph (1841a). "Livre (poids)". In Guillaumin, M. (ed.). _Encyclopédie du commerçant: Dictionnaire du commerce et des marchandises_. Vol. 2. Paris: Guillaumin et Cie. ( [Encyclopédie du commerçant](https://archive.org/stream/bub_gb_q7CnU_n5CZIC#page/n363/mode/2up) at the [Internet Archive](/wiki/Internet_Archive "Internet Archive"))
- Garnier, Joseph (1841b). "Marc (poids)". In Guillaumin, M. (ed.). _Encyclopédie du commerçant: Dictionnaire du commerce et des marchandises_. Vol. 2. Paris: Guillaumin et Cie. ( [Encyclopédie du commerçant](https://archive.org/stream/bub_gb_q7CnU_n5CZIC#page/n455/mode/2up) at the [Internet Archive](/wiki/Internet_Archive "Internet Archive"))
- Guilhiermoz, P. (1906). "Note sure les poids do Moyen Age". _Bibliothèque de l'École des chartes_. **67**. Librairie Droz: 402–450. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.3406/bec.1906.460058](https://doi.org/10.3406%2Fbec.1906.460058). [JSTOR](/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier) "JSTOR (identifier)") [43004870](https://www.jstor.org/stable/43004870).
- Harkness, William (1888). [_On the Progress of Science as Exemplified in the Art of Weighing and Measuring_](https://archive.org/details/onprogressscien00harkgoog). Judd & Detweiler.
- Kelly, Patrick (1811). "Lyons". _The universal cambist, and commercial instructor_. Vol. 1. London: Lackington, Allen, & Co.
- Mongez, Jean André; de La Métherie, Jean-Claude, eds. (1799). "Suite du rapport fait à l'Institut national des sciences et arts sur le mètre, etc". _Journal de physique, de chemie, d'histoire naturelle et des arts_. **49**. Paris: Bachelier.
- Morin, A. (1864). _Catalogue des collections_ (4th ed.). Paris: Bourdier.
- Peuchet, Jacques (1801). _Vocabulaire des termes de commerce, banque, manufactures, navigation marchande, finance mercantile et statistique_. Paris: Testu.`{{cite encyclopedia}}`: Missing or empty `|title=` ( [help](/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#citation_missing_title "Help:CS1 errors"))
- Rowlett, Russ. ["How Many? A Dictionary of Units of Measurement"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121224005450/http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/dictT.html). Center for Mathematics and Science Education, [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](/wiki/University_of_North_Carolina_at_Chapel_Hill "University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill"). Archived from [the original](http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/dictT.html) on 2012-12-24. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
- Sabot, Thierry (1 October 2000). ["Les poids et mesures sous l'Ancien Régime"](http://www.histoire-genealogie.com/spip.php?article396) \[The weights and measures of the Ancien Régime\] (in French). histoire-genealogie. Retrieved 2011-02-10.
- Saigey, Jacques Frédéric (1834). "Système Français". [_Traité de métrologie ancienne et moderne: suivi d'un précis de chronologie et des signes numériques_](https://archive.org/details/traitdemtrologi00saiggoog). Paris: Hachette. ( [Traité de métrologie ancienne et moderne](https://archive.org/stream/traitdemtrologi00saiggoog#page/n115/mode/2up) at the [Internet Archive](/wiki/Internet_Archive "Internet Archive"))
- Savary, Jacques; Savary, Philemon Louis (1742). "Étalon". _Dictionnaire universel de commerce, d'histoire naturelle et des arts et metiers_. Geneva: Les heretiers Cramer.
- Witthöft, Harald (2018). "numerical Communication in Intercontinental Trade and Monetary Matters: Coins, Weights, and Measures in China and East Asia in Merchants' Picketbooks and Commercial Guides". In Theobald, Ulrich; Cao, Jin (eds.). _Southwest China in a Regional and Global Perspective (c.1600–1911): Metals, Transport, Trade and Society_. BRILL. [ISBN](/wiki/ISBN_(identifier) "ISBN (identifier)") [9789004353718](/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789004353718 "Special:BookSources/9789004353718").
- Zupko, Ronald Edward (1990). "Beginning of Revolution in France". [_Revolution in Measurement: Western European Weights and Measures Since the Age of Science_](https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_uYCNFkRgXCoC). American Philosophical Society. [ISBN](/wiki/ISBN_(identifier) "ISBN (identifier)") [9780871691866](/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780871691866 "Special:BookSources/9780871691866"). [ISSN](/wiki/ISSN_(identifier) "ISSN (identifier)") [0065-9738](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0065-9738).

## Further reading

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Traditional_French_units_of_measurement&action=edit&section=11 "Edit section: Further reading")\]

- ["Pile de poids de 50 marcs dite "pile de Charlemagne" et son écrin"](https://www.arts-et-metiers.net/musee/pile-de-poids-de-50-marcs-dite-pile-de-charlemagne-et-son-ecrin). Musée des Arts et Métiers.
- Charbonnier, Pierre, ed. (1990). _Les anciennes mesures locales du Midi méditerranéen, d'après les tables de conversion_. Clermont-Ferrand: Presses universitaires Blaise Pascal. [ISBN](/wiki/ISBN_(identifier) "ISBN (identifier)") [9782877410649](/wiki/Special:BookSources/9782877410649 "Special:BookSources/9782877410649").
- Lavagne, François-G. (1971). ["Étalons bisontins de poids et de mesure"](https://www.persee.fr/doc/rhs_0151-4105_1971_num_24_3_3211). _Revue d'histoire des sciences_. **24** (3): 213–232. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.3406/rhs.1971.3211](https://doi.org/10.3406%2Frhs.1971.3211).
- Cardarelli, François (2003). [_Encyclopaedia of Scientific Units, Weights and Measures: Their SI Equivalences and Origins_](https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediaofs0000card). Springer Science & Business Media. pp. [79](https://archive.org/details/encyclopaediaofs0000card/page/79)–83\. [ISBN](/wiki/ISBN_(identifier) "ISBN (identifier)") [978-1-85233-682-0](/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-85233-682-0 "Special:BookSources/978-1-85233-682-0").
- Palaiseau, Jean-François-Gaspard (October 1816). [_Métrologie universelle, ancienne et moderne_](https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_k0tyBHmAD9sC). Bordeaux: Lavigne jeune. ( [Métrologie universelle, ancienne et moderne](https://archive.org/details/idbub_gb_k0tyBHmAD9sC) at the [Internet Archive](/wiki/Internet_Archive "Internet Archive"))

- [v](/wiki/Template:Systems_of_measurement "Template:Systems of measurement")
- [t](/wiki/Template_talk:Systems_of_measurement "Template talk:Systems of measurement")
- [e](/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Systems_of_measurement "Special:EditPage/Template:Systems of measurement")

[Systems of measurement](/wiki/System_of_measurement "System of measurement")

Current

General

- [International System of Units (SI)](/wiki/International_System_of_Units "International System of Units")
- [UK imperial system](/wiki/Imperial_units "Imperial units")
- [US customary units (USCS/USC)](/wiki/United_States_customary_units "United States customary units")
- [Chinese](/wiki/Chinese_units_of_measurement "Chinese units of measurement")
  - [Hong Kong](/wiki/Hong_Kong_units_of_measurement "Hong Kong units of measurement")

Specific

- [Apothecaries'](/wiki/Apothecaries%27_system "Apothecaries' system")
- [Avoirdupois](/wiki/Avoirdupois_system "Avoirdupois system")
- [Troy](/wiki/Troy_weight "Troy weight")
- [Astronomical](/wiki/Astronomical_system_of_units "Astronomical system of units")
- [Electrical](/wiki/Conventional_electrical_unit "Conventional electrical unit")
- [English Engineering Units](/wiki/English_Engineering_Units "English Engineering Units") (US)

[Natural](/wiki/Natural_units "Natural units")

- [Atomic](/wiki/Atomic_units "Atomic units")
- [Geometrised](/wiki/Geometrized_unit_system "Geometrized unit system")
- [Heaviside–Lorentz](/wiki/Heaviside%E2%80%93Lorentz_units "Heaviside–Lorentz units")
- [Planck](/wiki/Planck_units "Planck units")
- [Quantum chromodynamical](/wiki/Natural_units#Quantum_chromodynamics_units "Natural units")
- [Stoney](/wiki/Stoney_units "Stoney units")

Background

Metric

- [Overview](/wiki/Metric_system "Metric system")
- [Outline](/wiki/Outline_of_the_metric_system "Outline of the metric system")
- [History](/wiki/History_of_the_metric_system "History of the metric system")
- [Metrication](/wiki/Metrication "Metrication")

UK/US

- [Overview](/wiki/Imperial_and_US_customary_measurement_systems "Imperial and US customary measurement systems")
- [Comparison](/wiki/Comparison_of_the_imperial_and_US_customary_measurement_systems "Comparison of the imperial and US customary measurement systems")
- [Foot–pound–second](/wiki/Foot%E2%80%93pound%E2%80%93second_system "Foot–pound–second system") (FPS)

Historic

Metric

- [metre–kilogram–second](/wiki/MKS_system_of_units "MKS system of units") (MKS)
- [metre–tonne–second](/wiki/Metre%E2%80%93tonne%E2%80%93second_system_of_units "Metre–tonne–second system of units") (MTS)
- [centimetre–gram–second](/wiki/Centimetre%E2%80%93gram%E2%80%93second_system_of_units "Centimetre–gram–second system of units") (CGS)
- [gravitational](/wiki/Gravitational_metric_system "Gravitational metric system")

Europe

- [Cornish](/wiki/Old_Cornish_units_of_measurement "Old Cornish units of measurement")
- [Cypriot](/wiki/Cypriot_units_of_measurement "Cypriot units of measurement")
- [Czech](/wiki/Czech_units_of_measurement "Czech units of measurement")
- [Danish](/wiki/Danish_units_of_measurement "Danish units of measurement")
- [Dutch](/wiki/Dutch_units_of_measurement "Dutch units of measurement")
- [English](/wiki/English_units "English units")
  - [Winchester](/wiki/Winchester_measure "Winchester measure")
  - [Exchequer](/wiki/Exchequer_Standards "Exchequer Standards")
- [Estonian](/wiki/Estonian_units_of_measurement "Estonian units of measurement")
- [Finnish](/wiki/Obsolete_Finnish_units_of_measurement "Obsolete Finnish units of measurement")
- [French](/wiki/French_units_of_measurement "French units of measurement")
  - Traditional
  - [Mesures usuelles](/wiki/Mesures_usuelles "Mesures usuelles")
- [German](/wiki/Obsolete_German_units_of_measurement "Obsolete German units of measurement")
- [Greek](/wiki/Greek_units_of_measurement "Greek units of measurement")
  - [Byzantine](/wiki/Byzantine_units_of_measurement "Byzantine units of measurement")
- [Hungarian](/wiki/Hungarian_units_of_measurement "Hungarian units of measurement")
- [Icelandic](/wiki/Icelandic_units_of_measurement "Icelandic units of measurement")
- [Irish](/wiki/Old_Irish_units_of_measurement "Old Irish units of measurement")
- [Italian](/wiki/Italian_units_of_measurement "Italian units of measurement")
- [Latvian](/wiki/Latvian_units_of_measurement "Latvian units of measurement")
- [Luxembourgian](/wiki/Luxembourgian_units_of_measurement "Luxembourgian units of measurement")
- [Maltese](/wiki/Maltese_units_of_measurement "Maltese units of measurement")
- [Norwegian](/wiki/Norwegian_units_of_measurement "Norwegian units of measurement")
- [Ottoman](/wiki/Ottoman_units_of_measurement "Ottoman units of measurement")
- [Polish](/wiki/Obsolete_Polish_units_of_measurement "Obsolete Polish units of measurement")
- [Portuguese](/wiki/Portuguese_units_of_measurement "Portuguese units of measurement")
- [Romanian](/wiki/Romanian_units_of_measurement "Romanian units of measurement")
- [Russian](/wiki/Obsolete_Russian_units_of_measurement "Obsolete Russian units of measurement")
- [Scottish](/wiki/Scottish_units "Scottish units")
- [Serbian](/wiki/Obsolete_Serbian_units_of_measurement "Obsolete Serbian units of measurement")
- [Slovak](/wiki/Slovak_units_of_measurement "Slovak units of measurement")
- [Spanish](/wiki/Spanish_units_of_measurement "Spanish units of measurement")
- [Swedish](/wiki/Swedish_units_of_measurement "Swedish units of measurement")
- [Swiss](/wiki/Swiss_units_of_measurement "Swiss units of measurement")
- [Welsh](/wiki/Welsh_units "Welsh units")

Asia

- [Afghan](/wiki/Afghan_units_of_measurement "Afghan units of measurement")
- [Cambodian](/wiki/Cambodian_units_of_measurement "Cambodian units of measurement")
- [Indian](/wiki/Indian_units_of_measurement "Indian units of measurement")
- [Indonesian](/wiki/Indonesian_units_of_measurement "Indonesian units of measurement")
- [Japanese](/wiki/Japanese_units_of_measurement "Japanese units of measurement")
- [Korean](/wiki/Korean_units_of_measurement "Korean units of measurement")
- [Mongolian](/wiki/Mongolian_units "Mongolian units")
- [Myanmar](/wiki/Myanmar_units_of_measurement "Myanmar units of measurement")
- [Nepalese](/wiki/Nepalese_customary_units_of_measurement "Nepalese customary units of measurement")
- [Omani](/wiki/Omani_units_of_measurement "Omani units of measurement")
- [Pakistani](/wiki/History_of_measurement_systems_in_Pakistan "History of measurement systems in Pakistan")
- [Philippine](/wiki/Philippine_units_of_measurement "Philippine units of measurement")
- [Pegu](/wiki/Abucco "Abucco")
- [Singaporean](/wiki/Singaporean_units_of_measurement "Singaporean units of measurement")
- [Sri Lankan](/wiki/Sri_Lankan_units_of_measurement "Sri Lankan units of measurement")
- [Syrian](/wiki/Syrian_units_of_measurement "Syrian units of measurement")
- [Taiwanese](/wiki/Taiwanese_units_of_measurement "Taiwanese units of measurement")
- [Tatar](/wiki/Obsolete_Tatar_units_of_measurement "Obsolete Tatar units of measurement")
- [Thai](/wiki/Thai_units_of_measurement "Thai units of measurement")
- [Vietnamese](/wiki/Vietnamese_units_of_measurement "Vietnamese units of measurement")

Africa

- [Algerian](/wiki/Algerian_units_of_measurement "Algerian units of measurement")
- [Ethiopian](/wiki/Ethiopian_units_of_measurement "Ethiopian units of measurement")
- [Egyptian](/wiki/Egyptian_units_of_measurement "Egyptian units of measurement")
- [Eritrean](/wiki/Eritrean_units_of_measurement "Eritrean units of measurement")
- [Guinean](/wiki/Guinean_units_of_measurement "Guinean units of measurement")
- [Libyan](/wiki/Libyan_units_of_measurement "Libyan units of measurement")
- [Malagasy](/wiki/Malagasy_units_of_measurement "Malagasy units of measurement")
- [Mauritian](/wiki/Mauritian_units_of_measurement "Mauritian units of measurement")
- [Moroccan](/wiki/Moroccan_units_of_measurement "Moroccan units of measurement")
- [Seychellois](/wiki/Seychellois_units_of_measurement "Seychellois units of measurement")
- [Somali](/wiki/Somali_units_of_measurement "Somali units of measurement")
- [South African](/wiki/South_African_units_of_measurement "South African units of measurement")
- [Tunisian](/wiki/Tunisian_units_of_measurement "Tunisian units of measurement")
- [Tanzanian](/wiki/Tanzanian_units_of_measurement "Tanzanian units of measurement")

North America

- [Costa Rican](/wiki/Costa_Rican_units_of_measurement "Costa Rican units of measurement")
- [Cuban](/wiki/Cuban_units_of_measurement "Cuban units of measurement")
- [Haitian](/wiki/Haitian_units_of_measurement "Haitian units of measurement")
- [Honduran](/wiki/Honduran_units_of_measurement "Honduran units of measurement")
- [Mexican](/wiki/Mexican_units_of_measurement "Mexican units of measurement")
- [Nicaraguan](/wiki/Nicaraguan_units_of_measurement "Nicaraguan units of measurement")
- [Puerto Rican](/wiki/Puerto_Rican_units_of_measurement "Puerto Rican units of measurement")

South America

- [Argentine](/wiki/Argentine_units_of_measurement "Argentine units of measurement")
- [Bolivian](/wiki/Bolivian_units_of_measurement "Bolivian units of measurement")
- [Brazilian](/wiki/Brazilian_units_of_measurement "Brazilian units of measurement")
- [Chilean](/wiki/Chilean_units_of_measurement "Chilean units of measurement")
- [Colombian](/wiki/Colombian_units_of_measurement "Colombian units of measurement")
- [Paraguayan](/wiki/Paraguayan_units_of_measurement "Paraguayan units of measurement")
- [Peruvian](/wiki/Peruvian_units_of_measurement "Peruvian units of measurement")
- [Uruguayan](/wiki/Uruguayan_units_of_measurement "Uruguayan units of measurement")
- [Venezuelan](/wiki/Venezuelan_units_of_measurement "Venezuelan units of measurement")

Ancient

- [Arabic](/wiki/Ancient_Arabic_units_of_measurement "Ancient Arabic units of measurement")
- [Biblical and Talmudic](/wiki/Biblical_and_Talmudic_units_of_measurement "Biblical and Talmudic units of measurement")
- [Egyptian](/wiki/Ancient_Egyptian_units_of_measurement "Ancient Egyptian units of measurement")
- [Greek](/wiki/Ancient_Greek_units_of_measurement "Ancient Greek units of measurement")
- [Hindu](/wiki/Hindu_units_of_time "Hindu units of time")
- [Indian](/wiki/History_of_measurement_systems_in_India "History of measurement systems in India")
- [Mesopotamian](/wiki/Ancient_Mesopotamian_units_of_measurement "Ancient Mesopotamian units of measurement")
- [Persian](/wiki/Persian_units_of_measurement "Persian units of measurement")
- [Roman](/wiki/Ancient_Roman_units_of_measurement "Ancient Roman units of measurement")

List articles

- [Humorous](/wiki/List_of_humorous_units_of_measurement "List of humorous units of measurement")
- [Obsolete](/wiki/List_of_obsolete_units_of_measurement "List of obsolete units of measurement")
- [Unusual](/wiki/List_of_unusual_units_of_measurement "List of unusual units of measurement")

Other

- [Absolute scale](/wiki/Absolute_scale "Absolute scale")
- [N-body](/wiki/N-body_units "N-body units")
- [Modulor](/wiki/Modulor "Modulor")

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[Categories](/wiki/Help:Category "Help:Category"):

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