1. a unit of weight equal to 1/20 of a troy ounce, used especially for weighing precious metals and gems
Usage: technical; jewelry and precious metals

Examples

• The gold ring weighed 3 pennyweights.
• Jewelers often measure small amounts of silver in pennyweights.
• One pennyweight equals about 1.555 grams.
• The diamond’s setting required 2.5 pennyweights of platinum.
• The coin contained 4 pennyweights of pure gold.
• She learned to convert pennyweights to ounces in her jewelry class.