gram

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈgram 

: any of several leguminous plants (such as a chickpea) grown especially for their seed

also : their seeds

gram

2 of 5

noun (2)

ˈgram 

1

: a metric unit of mass equal to ¹/₁₀₀₀ kilogram and nearly equal to the mass of one cubic centimeter of water at its maximum density see Metric System Table

2

: the weight of a gram under the acceleration of gravity

gram

3 of 5

noun (3)

: grandmother

gram

4 of 5

abbreviation

grammar; grammatical

-gram

5 of 5

noun combining form

: drawing : writing : record

chronogram

telegram

Examples of gram in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

That’s about seven grams of plastic per brain — as much as makes up a disposable spoon, Dr. Campen said, or about five water bottle caps. —Nina Agrawal, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025

The average consumption is about half an avocado (about 68 grams). —Elizabeth Barnes, Verywell Health, 8 Apr. 2025

In one raid carried out last week at a residential address, Oakman said, KCK police officers seized nearly 1,500 grams of marijuana and cocaine, along with 48 ecstasy and methamphetamine pills, 15 assault rifles and about $5,230 in cash. —Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2025

The Metropolitan Police of Cartagena said the 40-year-old man had a flight to Amsterdam and was intent on taking more than 220 grams of cocaine to the European country. —Krystal Nurse, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

obsolete Portuguese (now spelled grão), grain, from Latin granum

Noun (2)

French gramme, from Late Latin gramma, a small weight, from Greek grammat-, gramma letter, writing, a small weight, from graphein to write — more at carve

Noun (3)

by shortening & alteration

Noun combining form

Latin -gramma, from Greek, from gramma

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1702, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1810, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1923, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing gram

• centimeter-gram-second
• gram-atomic weight
• gram calorie
• gram equivalent
• gram molecular weight
• gram-negative
• gram-positive
• gram-variable

Rhymes for gram

• am
• bam
• cham
• clam
• damme
• damn
• abraham
• anagram
• cablegram
• cofferdam
• dendrogram
• diagram

Kids Definition

gram

1 of 2 noun

ˈgram

1

: a metric unit of mass equal to ¹⁄₁₀₀₀ kilogram and nearly equal to the mass of one cubic centimeter of water at its maximum density see metric system

2

: the weight of a gram of mass

-gram

2 of 2 noun combining form

ˌgram

: drawing : writing : record

telegram

Etymology

Noun combining form

from Latin -gramma "piece of writing, record," derived from Greek gramma "letter," derived from graphein "to write" — related to graffito, grammar, -graph

Medical Definition

gram

noun

variants or chiefly British gramme

ˈgram 

1

: a metric unit of mass equal to ¹/₁₀₀₀ kilogram and nearly equal to the mass of one cubic centimeter of water at its maximum density

—abbreviation g

2

: the weight of a gram under standard gravity