gram

1 of 5

noun (1)

: any of several leguminous plants (such as a chickpea) grown especially for their seed
also : their seeds

gram

2 of 5

noun (2)

1
: a metric unit of mass equal to ¹/₁₀₀₀ kilogram and nearly equal to the mass of one cubic centimeter of water at its maximum density see Metric System Table
2
: the weight of a gram under the acceleration of gravity

gram

3 of 5

noun (3)

gram

4 of 5

abbreviation

-gram

5 of 5

noun combining form

: drawing : writing : record
chronogram
telegram

Examples of gram in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Milk Chocolate Spring Flowers Easter Egg, £38.50, Bettys (350 grams) The Yorkshire tea room and patisserie has proffered high-end sweets for more than 100 years. Helen Chandler-Wilde, Fortune Europe, 22 Mar. 2024 The tiny cylinders weigh just a few grams and are 3 to 4 cm long—somewhere between an AAA battery and a large vitamin capsule in size and shape. IEEE Spectrum, 16 Mar. 2024 Crafted from 14-karat gold, the size 11 ½ ring weighs a substantial 59.6 grams and is set with an impressive 40 diamonds. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2024 Bottle weight: 555 grams (Average). Distributed locally by Breakthru Beverage Group. Dave McIntyre, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 One serving boasts 30 grams of protein plus 5 grams of BCAAs, which can help with reducing post-training soreness, according to a 2021 study. April Benshosan, Glamour, 13 Mar. 2024 One of the biggest differences between the two diets was the extra 1.2 grams of sodium consumed with the ultraprocessed diets. Christopher Damman, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2024 For a person who weighs 150 pounds, that’s 54 grams of protein daily. Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2024 In a divided vote last month, Miami Beach commissioners repealed a 2015 ordinance that gave police officers the discretion to issue civil citations for possession of up to 20 grams of marijuana instead of arresting people for it; Chief Jones said officers had rarely used the citation option. Patricia Mazzei, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gram.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

obsolete Portuguese (now spelled grão), grain, from Latin granum

Noun (2)

French gramme, from Late Latin gramma, a small weight, from Greek grammat-, gramma letter, writing, a small weight, from graphein to write — more at carve

Noun (3)

by shortening & alteration

Noun combining form

Latin -gramma, from Greek, from gramma

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1702, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1810, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1923, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gram was in 1702

Dictionary Entries Near gram

Cite this Entry

“Gram.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gram. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gram

1 of 2 noun
ˈgram
1
: a metric unit of mass equal to ¹⁄₁₀₀₀ kilogram and nearly equal to the mass of one cubic centimeter of water at its maximum density see metric system
2
: the weight of a gram of mass

-gram

2 of 2 noun combining form
ˌgram
: drawing : writing : record
telegram
Etymology

Noun combining form

from Latin -gramma "piece of writing, record," derived from Greek gramma "letter," derived from graphein "to write" — related to graffito, grammar, -graph

Medical Definition

gram

noun
variants or chiefly British gramme
1
: a metric unit of mass equal to ¹/₁₀₀₀ kilogram and nearly equal to the mass of one cubic centimeter of water at its maximum density
abbreviation g
2
: the weight of a gram under standard gravity

More from Merriam-Webster on gram

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