An Asian unit of weight, historically used for measuring precious metals, spices, and other goods; roughly equivalent to an ounce.
From Malay 'tāhil,' derived from Sanskrit 'tula,' meaning weight or balance. The word traveled along trade routes and was adopted into English during the colonial period when Western merchants traded in Asian markets.
The tael is a fascinating artifact of globalization—the same word exists in Chinese, Malay, Japanese, and Portuguese because traders needed a common measure, making it a linguistic bridge between continents.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.