Does the non-metric U.S. system of measurements have a name?
There’s no official name for the non-metric U.S. system of weights and measures, but the most commonly used terms are: • “customary system” or “customary units” or “customary weights and measures” (Metric Act, 1866; Mendenhall Order, 1893; NIST SP 345, A Metric America: A Decision Whose Time Has Come, 1971) • “inch-pound units” (frequent, though more recent) If it’s not obvious from the context, it’s wise to distinguish the U.S. system from others: “U.S. customary system.” For the same reason, the terms “Imperial system” and “English system” are best avoided when referring to U.S. measurements because they usually refer to the British system. The Imperial gallon, quart, pint, etc., differ in size from the corresponding U.S. units, although the Imperial units have largely been abandoned as the British Commonwealth nations that used them went metric. In fact, one should bear in mind that the non-metric “system” isn’t really a system at all, but a collection of units that has evolved over
There’s no official name for the non-metric U.S. system of weights and measures, but the most commonly used terms are: customary system” or “customary units” or “customary weights and measures” (Metric Act, 1866; Mendenhall Order, 1893; NIST SP 345, A Metric America: A Decision Whose Time Has Come, 1971) If it’s not obvious from the context, it’s wise to distinguish the U.S. system from others: “U.S. customary system. See similar questions…
