Tahil-Weight
/ˈtɑː.hɪl weɪt/noun
A historical Southeast Asian unit of weight, generally equivalent to a tahil and varying by region.
Did you know?A tahil was not universally standardized: its exact mass varied across Southeast Asia, reflecting the practical, locally negotiated nature of premodern trade.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*weǵʰ-
“To carry or transport; the ancient root associated with the later Germanic weight family.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*wihtiz
“A thing with weight or mass.”
Old English
Old English
wiht
“Weight, heaviness, or a measured amount.”
Malay
Malay
tahil
“A traditional unit of weight used in Southeast Asian commerce; the form is related to the wider tael family of terms.”
19th Century
English
tahil-weight
“An English trade term for the weight represented by a tahil.”
Modern English
English
tahil-weight
“A historical or regional unit of weight, chiefly encountered in dictionaries and accounts of Asian commerce.”