quintal
LowTechnical, Historical, Agricultural
Definition
Meaning
A unit of mass or weight, historically equal to 100 pounds or approximately 45.36 kilograms.
A historical or regional measurement for agricultural products, especially grains; can refer to a metric quintal (100 kilograms) in some modern systems.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The value of a quintal has varied significantly by time and region (e.g., Spanish quintal ≈ 46 kg, Portuguese quintal ≈ 58.75 kg). In modern contexts, 'metric quintal' (100 kg) is sometimes used in trade but is largely superseded by the tonne.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally rare in both dialects. More likely encountered in historical texts or specific agricultural/commodity contexts.
Connotations
Archaic, technical, region-specific.
Frequency
Extremely low-frequency in general use. Higher frequency in historical documents or certain trade sectors in non-English-speaking countries.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP] weighed [NUM] quintal(s)[NP] sold for [PRICE] per quintalVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not applicable for this technical term.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rarely in historical commodity trading (e.g., 'The rice was priced at $15 per quintal').
Academic
In historical, agricultural, or metrological studies.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
In contexts discussing historical weights, measures, or some regional agricultural reports.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The old ledger listed the wool yield as fifty quintals.
- A metric quintal is equivalent to one hundred kilograms.
American English
- The colonial shipment was taxed per quintal.
- He estimated the harvest at over two hundred quintals.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The farmer sold his crop for a good price per quintal.
- Historical documents show the grain was measured in quintals, a unit roughly equal to a hundredweight.
- While the metric quintal is still used in some European agricultural reports, the tonne has become the standard international unit for such quantities.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'QUINT' (five) but misleadingly—it's a HUNDRED (pounds or kilos). Remember: a 'Quintal' is a 'Cent'-al unit (like century = 100 years).
Conceptual Metaphor
A CONTAINER FOR BULK (a standardised vessel for conceptualising large amounts of mass).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- False friend with Russian 'квинтал' (kvintal) – a direct borrowing, but usage is equally archaic/specialised.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing with 'quintet' (five).
- Assuming it is a contemporary unit in Anglophone countries.
- Misspelling as 'quintle' or 'quintel'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context are you most likely to encounter the word 'quintal' today?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, traditionally a quintal was equivalent to a hundredweight (cwt), which is 100 pounds in the US and 112 pounds in the UK imperial system, though values varied globally.
Rarely in English-speaking countries. The tonne (1000 kg) or bushel is standard. The term may appear in some European or South Asian agricultural contexts for a 100 kg unit.
It comes from Medieval Latin 'quintale', from Arabic 'qinṭār', which itself came from Late Latin 'centenarium' (something containing a hundred).
No, it is exclusively a noun. You cannot 'quintal' something or have a 'quintal' sack (you would say 'a sack weighing a quintal').