Misqal
/mɪsˈkɑːl/noun
A traditional Middle Eastern unit of weight, especially used for measuring gold, silver, and other precious substances.
Did you know?The Arabic word miṯqāl appears in the Qur’an in the phrase “the weight of a particle,” linking this unit of mass with divine moral accounting.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*ṯ-q-l
“A root associated with being heavy or having weight.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
miṯqāl
“A measure of weight; literally, something determined by weighing.”
7th Century
Qur’anic Arabic
miṯqāla dharratin
“The weight of a particle or minute thing, used in a passage about even the smallest deed being accounted for.”
Medieval Period
Persian/Arabic
mithqāl
“A standardized weight commonly used for gold, silver, coins, and precious materials.”
17th–19th Century
English
mithqal / misqal
“A borrowed name for a Middle Eastern weight, with spelling varying according to transliteration.”