An old spelling or variant of 'ounce,' a unit of weight equal to one-sixteenth of a pound.
From Old French 'once,' from Latin 'uncia,' meaning one-twelfth of a pound or Roman pound. The spelling 'auncel' reflects Middle English pronunciation and French influence.
The Latin 'uncia' originally meant 'one-twelfth' and gave us not just 'ounce' but also 'inch'—both measurements came from the same Roman concept of division, showing how language and measurement evolved together.
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