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The 'dram' (archaic spelling 'drachm') was historically both a coin and a weight. Currently it is both a small mass in the avoirdupois system of weights and a small unit of volume. This unit is called more correctly ''fluid dram'' or in contraction also ''fluidram''.

Contents

Drachm (ancient mass)

Dram (mass)

Dram (volume)

See also

Drachm (ancient mass)

★ The Greek drachm was a weight of {{#if:|100+⁄| Greek mine, which is about 4.37 grams.

★ The Roman drachm was a weight of {{#if:|96+⁄| Roman pounds, which is about 3.41 grams.
Greek and Roman drachm were related by the approximate ratio 25 : 32.
The Ottoman dirhem is based on the Roman dram/drachm.

Dram (mass)

The dram is the mass of {{#if:|256+⁄| pound avoirdupois or {{#if:|16+⁄| ounce. So the dram weighs {{#if:|875+³²⁄| grains or about 1.771845 grams.
The dram (symbol: ʒ) was also the mass of {{#if:|96+⁄| pound (℔) or {{#if:|8+⁄| ounce (℥) in the apothecaries' system that survived until the middle of the 20th century in English-speaking countries. It was equal to 3 scruples (℈) or 60 grains (G). Thus, it was equal to 3.888 grams (in the SI).

Dram (volume)

The ''fluid dram'' is defined as {{#if:|8+⁄| of a fluid ounce, which means it is exactly equal to

★ 3.696 691 195 312 5 mL in the United States and

★ 3.551 632 812 500 0 mL in the Commonwealth and Ireland.
In the United Kingdom, a teaspoon was formerly defined as 1 fluid dram.
'Dram' is also used informally to mean a small amount of liquid, especially Scotch whisky.

See also

★ Avoirdupois

★ Imperial unit

★ U.S. customary units

★ Apothecaries' system