WordGarden.iomaund
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /mɔːnd/archaicuncountablenoun
US
- /ˈmɔnd/
Meanings
Noun
a South Asian unit of mass, about 37 kilograms in India
a basket or hamper for carrying things
Beyond the definition
"Maund" is an old word with a few historical uses. Most often, it refers to a basket or to a traditional unit of weight used in parts of Asia, especially in trade. If you read about grain, cotton, or other goods being sold by the maund, the writer is talking about a fixed measure of weight, though the exact amount changed from place to place.
In older English, "maund" could also be used as a verb meaning "to beg." That sense is now very rare, and most modern readers are more likely to meet the word in historical writing, trade records, or discussions of older measures.
"Maund" is a rare, old-fashioned word that carries the feel of markets, travel, and older systems of trade. One common noun sense is a basket, especially a large handbasket or carrying basket. In that form, the word suggests something practical and physical: a container for goods, food, or other items being moved from place to place.
Another important sense is as a unit of weight used in parts of Asia, especially in South Asia. In trade and historical records, a maund was used to measure goods such as grain, wool, rice, or cotton. The exact weight was not always the same in every region or period, so the word often needs local or historical context. In other words, it was a real working measure, but not a perfectly universal one.
There is also an older verb sense: "to maund" can mean "to beg." That use is now uncommon and may feel literary or archaic, but it appears in older texts. Because of these different meanings, the word can point either to something you carry, something you weigh, or, in older language, the act of asking for alms.
Today, most people will never use "maund" in daily conversation. Still, it is a useful word to know if you enjoy historical writing, older dictionaries, or records of trade and daily life. It opens a small window into a world where baskets, market weights, and wandering poverty were all part of the language people used.
Examples
- 1
Basket
The gardener filled a maund with apples and carried it to the gate.
- 2
Weight measure
The old account book lists two maunds of rice for the kitchen.
- 3
Museum label
In the museum label, the price was given per maund, not per pound.
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- maundnoun