Editing Cooking weights and measures (section)

== United States measures ==
The US uses pounds and ounces ([[avoirdupois]]) for weight, and [[US customary units]] for volume. For measures used in cookbooks published in other nations navigate to the appropriate regional section in [[Traditional measurement systems]].

[[File:US volume measures.png|thumb|upright=1.4|Ratios among the larger and smaller US cooking volumetric measures.]]

Measures are classified as either [[dry measure]]s or fluid measures. Some of the fluid and dry measures have similar names, but the actual measured volume is quite different. A recipe will generally specify which measurement is required. U.S. recipes are commonly in terms of fluid measures, even for dry ingredients. Most of these units derive from earlier [[English units]], as applied to the [[gallon#US liquid gallon|U.S. gallon]]. Typically they follow a pattern of binary submultiples, where each larger measure consists of two units of the next-smallest measure.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Banquet Book: A Classified Collection of Quotations Designed for General Audience |date=1902|location=New York |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ruosAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA403|access-date=2016-09-23|last1=Reynolds|first1=Cuyler}}</ref><ref name="Ludy1907">{{cite book|author=Robert Borneman Ludy|title=Answers to questions prescribed by pharmaceutical state boards|url=https://archive.org/details/answerstoquesti03ludygoog|access-date=20 December 2011|year=1907|publisher=J.J. McVey|page=[https://archive.org/details/answerstoquesti03ludygoog/page/n137 125]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Universal Dictionary of Weights and Measures |date=1850 |location=Baltimore |url=https://archive.org/stream/universaldictio01alexgoog#page/n146/mode/2up|access-date=2016-09-23}}</ref> An exception is with the commonly used teaspoon as one-third of a tablespoon.

Binary submultiples are fractional parts obtained by successively dividing by the number 2. Thus, one-half, one-fourth, one-eighth, one-sixteenth, and so on, are binary submultiples.<ref name="NISThandbook44-2016">{{cite book
 | title =NIST Handbook 44: Specifications, Tolerances, and Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices
 | publisher =National Institute of Standards and Technology
 | date =2016
 | pages =D-7
 | url =https://www.nist.gov/sites/default/files/documents/pml/wmd/pubs/2016/02/18/hb44-2016-final-web.pdf
 | access-date =2016-09-24
 | archive-date =2016-09-27
 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160927045840/https://www.nist.gov/sites/default/files/documents/pml/wmd/pubs/2016/02/18/hb44-2016-final-web.pdf
 | url-status =dead
 }}</ref> The system can be traced back to the measuring systems of the Hindus<ref name="NISThandbook44-2016" />{{Rp|B-9}} and the ancient Egyptians, who subdivided the {{lang|egy-Latn|[[hekat]]}} (about 4.8 litres) into parts of {{frac|1|2}}, {{frac|1|4}},{{frac|1|8}}, {{frac|1|16}}, {{frac|1|32}}, and {{frac|1|64}} (1 {{lang|egy-Latn|ro}}, or mouthful, or about 14.5&nbsp;ml),<ref>{{cite web|last1=Melville|first1=Duncan J.|title=Basic Egyptian Metrology|url=http://it.stlawu.edu/~dmelvill/323/EgyptianMetrology.html|website=Duncan J. Melville (Peterson Professor of mathematics at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY)|access-date=30 October 2016|archive-date=14 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170114053302/http://it.stlawu.edu/~dmelvill/323/EgyptianMetrology.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the {{lang|egy-Latn|hin}} similarly down to {{frac|1|32}} (1 {{lang|egy-Latn|ro}}) using hieratic notation,<ref>{{cite book|last1=Selin|first1=Helaine|title=Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures|date=1997|isbn=0-7923-4066-3|page=1013|publisher=Springer |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=raKRY3KQspsC&pg=PA1013}}</ref> as early as the [[Fifth Dynasty of Egypt]], 2494 to 2345 BC, thus making the "English doubling system" at least 4300 years old.

From units and tools of convenience, most of the system's history could have values vary widely, and was not until recent centuries that standardization began to take shape. Moreso, the overlap with other systems{{snd}} like the [[apothecaries' system]], and giving each {{frac|1|2}} division a unique{{snd}} and often variable by context, person, place, and time{{snd}} name instead of a systematic one, can make the system seem confusing for those not accustomed to it. However, other than the names themselves, the regular ratios make the actual measurements straightforward; and in many cases names have been deprecated in favor of fractionally denominated amounts of a few core units (such as taking gallons, cups, and teaspoons to their nearest quarters without names: nixing pottle; gill and wineglass; dram (as a culinary unit), coffeespoon, and saltspoon; respectively), or are limited to the specific or esoteric.

It is still a legal basis for measures in many states, such as Massachusetts, which mandates that "Glass bottles or jars used for the sale of milk or cream to the consumer shall be of the capacity of one gallon, a multiple of the gallon, or a binary submultiple of the gallon."<ref>{{cite web|title= General Laws: Chapter 98, Section 15|url=https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXV/Chapter98/Section15 |access-date=2016-09-24}}</ref>

Metric equivalents are based upon one of two nearly equivalent systems. In the standard system the conversion is that 1&nbsp;gallon = 231&nbsp;cubic inches and 1&nbsp;inch = 2.54&nbsp;cm, which makes a gallon = 3785.411784&nbsp;millilitres exactly. For nutritional labeling on food packages in the US, the teaspoon is defined as exactly 5&nbsp;ml,<ref>21CFR101.9(b)(5)(viii) [http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2004/aprqtr/21cfr101.9.htm 2 1CFR101.9]</ref> giving 1&nbsp;gallon = 3840&nbsp;ml exactly. This chart uses the former.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+ Dry and fluid measures
|-
! Unit
! Abbrev.
!colspan="2"| Defined
! fl oz
! mL<br>{{#tag:ref|Milliliter values based on fluid ounces by Google Units Converter.|group=note}}
! Binary submultiples
|-
! [[drop (unit)|drop]]
| dr., gt., gtt. (plural)
| colspan="2"| {{not a typo|{{frac|1|96}} tsp}}
|align=right |  {{frac|1|576}}
|align=right | 0.0513429
|
|-
! smidgen
| smdg., smi.
| colspan="2"| {{frac|1|32}} tsp*
|align=right |  {{frac|1|256}}
|align=right | 0.115522
|align=left | 2 smidgens = 1 pinch
|-
! [[Pinch (unit)|pinch]]
| pn.
| colspan="2"| {{frac|1|16}} tsp*
|align=right |  {{frac|1|128}}
|align=right | 0.231043
|align=left | 2 pinches = 1 dash
|-
! dash
| ds.
| colspan="2"| {{frac|1|8}} tsp*
|align=right |  {{frac|1|64}}
|align=right | 0.462086
|align=left | 2 dashes = 1 saltspoon
|-
! [[Salt spoon|saltspoon]]‡ or [[Scruple (unit)|scruple]]†
| ssp.
| colspan="2"| {{not a typo|{{frac|1|4}} tsp*}}
|align=right |  {{frac|1|32}}†
|align=right | 0.924173†
|align=left | 2 saltspoons = 1 coffeespoon
|-
! [[coffeespoon]]‡
| csp.
| colspan="2"| {{not a typo|{{frac|1|2}} tsp*}}
|align=right |  {{frac|1|16}}
|align=right | 1.84835
|align=left | 2 coffeespoons = {{not a typo|1 teaspoon}}
|-
! [[Fluid dram]] {{#tag:ref|The bartender's teaspoon<ref name="Rowlett1">{{cite web|title=A Dictionary of Units of Measurement |url=https://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/dictT.html}}</ref> was once
a widely used unit of [[Apothecaries' system|Apothecaries' measure]], it is equal to [[Dram (unit)#Unit of volume|1&nbsp;fluid dram (or drachm)]].<ref name="Ludy1907" /><ref name="Collins1803">{{cite book|author=Dr. Collins|title=Practical rules for the management and medical treatment of Negro slaves in the sugar colonies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=clsSAAAAIAAJ&dq=%22a+tea+spoon%22&pg=PA465|access-date=19 December 2011|year=1803|publisher=Printed by J. Barfield, for Vernor and Hood|page=465}}</ref>|group=note}} 
| fl.dr.
| colspan="2"| {{not a typo|{{frac|3|4}} tsp}}
|align=right |  {{frac|1|8}}
|align=right | 3.69669
|align=left |  <s>2 [[fluid dram]]s = 1 [[dessertspoon]] (Australia)</s><!-- Why is Australia in the US section? -->
|-
! [[teaspoon|teaspoon (culinary)]]{{#tag:ref|The U.S. customary teaspoon is exactly 1 1⁄3 US fluid drams.|group=note}}
| tsp. or t.
| colspan="2"| {{not a typo|{{frac|1|3}} tbsp}}
|align=right |  {{frac|1|6}}
|align=right | 4.92892
|align=left | {{not a typo|2 teaspoons}} = 1 [[dessertspoon]]
|-
! [[dessertspoon]]<ref name="Rowlett1" />‡
| dsp., dssp. or dstspn.
| colspan="2"| {{not a typo|2 tsp}}
|align=right | {{frac|1|3}}
|align=right | 9.85784
|align=left | 
|-
! [[tablespoon]]
| tbsp. or T.
| colspan="2"| {{not a typo|{{frac|1|16}} cup}}
|align=right | {{frac|1|2}}
|align=right | 14.7868
|align=left | {{not a typo|2 tablespoons {{=}} 1 fluid ounce}}
|-
! [[fluid ounce]]
| fl.oz. or oz.
| colspan="2"| {{not a typo|{{frac|1|8}} cup}}
|align=right | 1   
|align=right | 29.5735
|align=left | {{not a typo|2 fluid ounces}} = 1 wineglass
|-
! [[wineglass]]‡
| wgf.
| colspan="2"| {{not a typo|{{frac|1|4}} cup}}
|align=right | 2
|align=right | 59.1471
|align=left | 2 wineglasses = 1 teacup
|-
! [[gill (unit)|gill]]‡ or [[teacup]]‡
| tcf.
| colspan="2"| {{not a typo|{{frac|1|2}} cup}}
|align=right | 4   
|align=right | 118.294
|align=left |2 teacups = {{not a typo|1 cup}}
|-
! [[cup]]
| C
| colspan="2"| {{not a typo|{{frac|1|2}} pint}}
|align=right | 8   
|align=right | 236.588
|align=left | {{not a typo|2 cups {{=}} 1 pint}}
|-
! [[pint]]
| pt.
| colspan="2"| {{not a typo|{{frac|1|2}} qt}}
|align=right | 16   
|align=right | 473.176
|align=left | {{not a typo|2 pints {{=}} 1 quart}}
|-
! [[quart]]
| qt.
| colspan="2"| {{not a typo|{{frac|1|4}} gal}}
|align=right | 32   
|align=right | 946.353
|align=left |2 quarts = 1 pottle‡ <!-- no one uses "pottle" in the US. It's just called generically "half gallon" and not treated as a distinct unit of measure --> 
|-
! [[gallon]]
| gal.
| colspan="2"| 231 in<sup>3</sup>
|align=right | 128   
|align=right | 3,785.41
|align=left |{{not a typo|4 quarts}} = {{not a typo|1 gal}}
|-
|}

Suffixed asterisks on some of the "tsp" units in the "Defined" column above indicate that those teaspoon units are defined as {{frac|1|8}} fl oz (4 fl dram), the old {{not a typo|4 tsp}} = {{not a typo|1 tbsp}} amount, instead of {{not a typo|{{frac|1|6}} fl oz}}. This definition fits with "barkeepers' teaspoon", and is used in many cocktail recipe books; generally the subdivisions are not so explicitly defined nor named below {{not a typo|{{frac|1|4}} tsp}} in general culinary. This can be verified by comparing the associated values in the "fl oz" column.  All other "tsp" units in the "Defined" column are indeed defined as {{not a typo|{{frac|1|6}} fl oz}}, the current {{not a typo|3 tsp}} = {{not a typo|1 tbsp}} amount.

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Discrepancies due to size, generally disregarded as at the scale it becomes a factor, the person generally is using the next size up measuring cup (i.e.: {{not a typo|{{frac|1|1|2}} fl oz}} is likely to be straight measured in an ounce cup and not as 9 (vs 12) teaspoons) 
‡&nbsp;Rare if not nonexistent in use by name rather than as fraction of a different unit.

† The [[Scruple (unit)|fluid scruple]] has been properly defined on its own in the [[apothecaries' system]] as {{frac|1|24}} fl oz, {{frac|1|3}} fluid dram, or = 20 minims (≈ 1.23223 ml), and also {{frac|1|4}} tsp. Mind that scruples and drams were pharmaceutical and intended to be specific and precise, whereas cooking measures tended to use what was on hand and/or actually used to consume what was being prepared, and not intended to be as formally scientific in its degree of precision.
The [[Salt spoon|saltspoon]] most likely combined into the scruple over time, as a consequence of home cooks [[Measuring spoon#Measuring with cutlery spoons|approximating]] standard measures with what they had at hand, much as the teaspoon was roughly "close enough" for a kitchen approximation to a [[Dram (unit)#Unit of volume|fluid dram]] (= 60 minims), but not equal to the {{frac|1|1|3}} fl dr (80 minims) value it actually is; especially with the variability of the [[#Special instructions|''method'' of measuring]] itself. Not of insignificance is the natural habit of customary measures to use a 2<sup>n</sup> dividing scheme regardless of exact definitions, and this pattern is seen even with metric [[measuring spoon]]s

Confusion comes about from teaspoon continuing to be called a "dram" in vernacular, despite the sizes of actual spoons creeping up quietly over time, such that {{frac|1|4}} of a tsp (tsp > fl dr) would in fact become congruent with current {{frac|1|3}} fl dr values for the scruple and saltspoon; in other words, the terminology not keeping pace with the definition. At the small scales involved this is negligible (i.e.: math can convert down to tsp ×10<sup>−9</sup>, but to what degree can it practically be meted); however can cause [[Measuring spoon#Measuring with cutlery spoons|problems]] when accuracy is required such as medicines: "In almost all cases the modern teacups, tablespoons, dessertspoons, and teaspoons, after careful test by the author, were found to average 25 percent greater capacity than the theoretical quantities given above, and thus the use of accurately graduated medicine glasses, which may be had now at a trifling cost, should be insisted upon."<ref>{{cite book|title=Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, Volume 6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3KVGAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA45|year=1917 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+Units with respect to the teaspoon as defined and "dram-teaspoon"
(defined values in bold)
!
!
!
! colspan="2" |teaspoon
! colspan="2" |dram-teaspoon
!
|-
!Unit
!Abbr.
!defined in tsp
!minims
!ml
!minims
!ml
!Notes
|-
|Fluid Ounce
|fl oz, f℥
|{{not a typo|6 tsp*}}/ 8 fl dr
|'''480'''
|29.57
|'''480'''
|29.57
|
|-
|Tablespoon
|Tbsp
|{{not a typo|3 tsp*}}/ 4 fl dr
|'''240'''
|14.79
|'''240'''
|14.79
|{{not a typo|1 Tbsp}} = {{not a typo|3 tsp*}}
|-
|Dessertspoon
|dsp
|{{not a typo|2 tsp}}
|160
|9.858
|120
|7.393
|1 dsp = {{not a typo|2 tsp}}
|-
|'''Teaspoon'''
|'''tsp'''
|'''{{not a typo|1 tsp}}'''
|'''80'''
|4.929
|''60''
|3.697
|1 tsp = 2 csp
|-
|Fluid Dram 
|fl dr, fʒ
|{{not a typo|{{frac|3|4}} tsp / ''1 tsp''}}
|'''60'''
|3.697
|'''60'''
|3.697
|= {{not a typo|{{frac|1|8}} fl oz}}
|-
|Coffeespoon
|csp
|{{not a typo|{{frac|1|2}} tsp}}
|40
|2.464
|30
|1.848
|1 csp = 2 ssp
|-
|Fluid Scruple
|f℈
|{{not a typo|{{frac|1|4}} tsp}}
|'''20'''
|1.232
|'''20'''
|1.232
|= {{not a typo|{{frac|1|24}} fl oz}}
|-
|Saltspoon
|ssp
|{{not a typo|{{frac|1|4}} tsp}}
|20
|1.232
|15
|0.9242
|1 ssp = 2 ds
|-
|Dash
|ds
|{{not a typo|{{frac|1|8}} tsp}}
|10
|0.6161
|{{frac|7|1|2}}
|0.4621
|1 ds = 2 pn
|-
|Pinch
|pn
|{{not a typo|{{frac|1|16}} tsp}}
|5
|0.3081
|{{frac|3|3|4}}
|0.2310
|1 pn = 2 smdg
|-
|Smidgeon
|smdg
|{{not a typo|{{frac|1|32}} tsp}}
|{{frac|2|1|2}}
|0.1540
|{{frac|1|7|8}}
|0.1155
|
|-
|Minim
|min, ɱ
|{{not a typo|{{frac|1|80}} tsp}}
|'''1'''
|0.0616
|'''1'''
|0.616
|= {{not a typo|{{frac|1|480}} fl oz}}
|-
|Drop
|dr., gt., gtt.
|{{not a typo|{{frac|1|96}} tsp}}
|{{frac|5|6}}
|0.0513
|{{frac|5|6}}
|.0513
|= {{not a typo|{{frac|1|576}} fl oz}}
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Discrepancies due to size, generally disregarded as at the scale it becomes a factor, the person generally is using the next size up measuring cup (i.e.: {{not a typo|{{frac|1|1|2}} fl oz }}is likely to be straight measured in an ounce cup and not as 9 (''vs 12'') teaspoons)

In domestic cooking, bulk solids, notably [[flour]] and [[sugar]], are measured by volume, often cups, though they are sold by weight at retail. Weight measures are used for [[meats|meat]]. [[Butter]] may be measured by either weight ({{frac|1|4}} lb) or volume (3 tbsp) or a combination of weight and volume ({{frac|1|4}} lb plus 3 tbsp); it is sold by weight but in packages marked to facilitate common divisions by eye. (As a sub-packaged unit, a ''stick'' of butter, at {{frac|1|4}} lb [113 g], is a ''de facto'' measure in the US.) Some recipes may specify butter amounts called a ''pat'' (1 - 1.5 tsp) <ref>{{cite web|title=How Many Calories Are In a Pat of Butter, Anyway? |last=Dimberg |first=Kelsey Rae |date=Feb 22, 2023|url=https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/calories-in-a-pat-of-butter|access-date=2024-01-09}}</ref> or a ''knob'' (2 tbsp).<ref>{{cite web|title=What Is A Knob Of Butter?|last=Clark|first=Norah|date=June 27, 2023|url=https://boydhampers.com/blogs/guides/what-is-a-knob-of-butter|access-date=2024-01-09|archive-date=2024-01-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240109201519/https://boydhampers.com/blogs/guides/what-is-a-knob-of-butter|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Cookbooks in [[Canada]] use the same system, although pints and gallons would be taken as their Imperial quantities unless specified otherwise. Following the adoption of the metric system, recipes in Canada are frequently published with metric conversions.

===Approximate units===

There are a variety of [[Approximate measures|approximate units]] of measures, which are frequently undefined by any official source, or which have had conflicting definitions over time, yet which are commonly used. The measurement units that are most commonly understood to be approximate are the drop, smidgen, pinch, and dash, yet nearly all of the traditional cooking measurement units lack statutory definitions, or even any definition by any organization authorized to set standards in the U.S. For example, of the table above, only the fluid ounce, pint, quart, and gallon are officially defined by the [[National Institute of Standards and Technology|NIST]]. All of the others appear only in conversion guides lacking statutory authority, or in now-obsolete publications of the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, or USP&mdash;essentially, the [[Apothecaries' system]]&mdash;which still has authority to define certain drug and supplement standards. The USP has long-since abandoned Apothecaries' measurements, and even now recommends against using teaspoons to measure doses of medicine.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ditch the Kitchen Teaspoon |last=Whitaker |first=Will |date=May 12, 2015|url=http://qualitymatters.usp.org/prevent-medication-dosing-errors-ditch-teaspoon|access-date=2016-09-28}}</ref>