tonne

IPA/tʌn/
KK[tˈʌn]IPA/tʌn/

tonne — noun

  • tonnesingular
  • tonnesplural

1. a standard weight used around the world for measuring very heavy objects. One to

1.nounB1
Definition

a standard weight used around the world for measuring very heavy objects. One tonne equals 1,000 kilograms, which is about the weight of a small car.

Example

The container ship carried twenty thousand tonnes of grain from Brazil to China.

tonnes of + commodity (shipping context)

Each block of limestone at the quarry weighs about two tonnes.

weighs + [number] tonnes

Common collocations
  • tonne of [material]
  • weigh [number] tonnes
  • [number]-tonne load
Synonyms
  • metric ton

    more common in American English; exactly 1,000 kg — the same quantity as a tonne

  • megagram

    strict scientific term (symbol: Mg); 1,000 kg equals 1 megagram, but rarely used outside laboratories and official SI contexts

Usage Note

Tonne (symbol: t) is the metric unit. Do not confuse with ton, which refers to the imperial ton (1,016 kg in the UK or 907 kg in the US). In international trade and scientific writing, tonne is the standard term.

Common Mistakes

The car weighs two tons' (when using the metric system).
The car weighs two tonnes.
Outside the United States, tonne is the correct term for metric weight; ton is an imperial unit with a different value.

Word family

  • tonnes
    noun (plural)B1
  • ton
    nounB1
  • metric ton
    nounB2
  • megagram
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Tonne, metric ton, and ton all refer to units of weight, but they belong to different systems. Tonne (also called metric ton) is exactly 1,000 kg and is the international standard used in most countries. The imperial ton (or long ton, 1,016 kg) is used mainly in the UK, while the US ton (short ton, 907 kg) is common in the United States. In scientific writing, megagram (Mg) is the SI equivalent of a tonne, but it is rarely seen in everyday or commercial contexts. For most learners, remember: if you see 'tonne' or 'metric ton,' it means 1,000 kg; if you see 'ton' without qualification, check whether the context is British, American, or metric to know which value applies.

tonne ↗metric tonton ↗megagram

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • tonnes per hour
  • tonnes per year

Prepositions

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

Tonne entered English from French 'tonne,' meaning a large cask or barrel. The word shares its origin with 'ton,' which was historically a measure of volume for wine before becoming a unit of weight. When the metric system was introduced in late-18th-century France, the tonne was formally defined as 1,000 kilograms, giving it a precise scientific meaning distinct from the older imperial ton.