Fluid Ounce Definition & Meaning

American

British

Scientific

Usage

Etymology

Examples

fluid ounce American

noun

1. a measure of capacity equal to 1/16 (0.0625) pint (29.6 milliliters) in the U.S., and equal to 1/20 (0.05) of an imperial pint (28.4 milliliters) in Great Britain. fl. oz; f

fluid ounce British

noun

1. a unit of capacity equal to the volume of one avoirdupois ounce of distilled water at 62°F: there are twenty fluid ounces in an Imperial pint and sixteen in a US pint

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 fluid ounce Scientific

1. A unit of liquid volume or capacity in the US Customary System equal to 1/16 of a pint (29.57 milliliters).

2. See Table at measurement

Usage

What does fluid ounce mean? A fluid ounce is a unit used in the measurement of the volume of liquids.It is commonly abbreviated as fl. oz. (or fl oz), which can mean a singular fluid ounce, or, more commonly, the plural fluid ounces.An ounce is a unit used in the measurement of weight. (Both ounce and ounces can be abbreviated as oz.) A fluid ounce is used to measure volume (capacity), not weight—specifically, the volume of a fluid (liquid). In everyday conversation, the word ounces is often used instead of saying fluid ounces, as in I just drank 16 ounces of that energy drink. The abbreviation oz. is sometimes used in this way, as in a 20 oz. bottle of water. You’ll often see the abbreviation fl. oz. on the labels of containers that contain liquid or some other kind of non-solid, such as a can of soda or a bottle of moisturizer, to indicate how much stuff the container contains. It is also seen in recipes.Fluid ounces are used in the United States Customary System and the British Imperial System of measurement.In the Customary System, there are 8 fluid ounces in a cup and 16 fluid ounces in a pint. There are 20 fluid ounces in an Imperial pint.A fluid ounce is equal to 29.57 milliliters (1 milliliter is equivalent to 0.033815 of a fluid ounce.)Example: Standard soft drink cans contain 12 fluid ounces, but they also sell 8 oz. cans.

Etymology

Origin of fluid ounce

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For example, a soda can is generally considered a single-serving container and therefore just one serving, regardless of how many fluid ounces it contains.

From Salon

Whole milk costs 3 to 5 cents per fluid ounce, while half-and-half costs between 9 and 19 cents and heavy cream 17 to 32 cents an ounce, according to the lawsuit.

From Los Angeles Times

The imperial pint — 568 milliliters, or just under 20 imperial fluid ounces — was one of Britain’s cherished traditional measures.

From New York Times

Water is rationed, just 10 fluid ounces per person every day.

From Washington Times

The order bars all executive offices and agencies in Massachusetts from purchasing any single-use plastic bottles under 21 fluid ounces except in cases of emergency.

From Seattle Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.