Forms: 6–8 aroba, 7–8 arobe, 9 arob, 7– arroba. [Sp., ad. Arab. ar-rubs ‘the quarter,’ the weight being a quarter of the Spanish quintal.]
1. A weight, used in Spain, Portugal, and Spanish America, of the standard value of 25 Spanish or 25·36 English pounds, but varying locally between 25 and 36 pounds.
1598. W. Phillip, Linschoten’s Trav. India (1864), 163. An Aroba which is 32 pound.
1691. Lond. Gaz., mmdccxxiv/1. Five Arobes of fine Gold, each Arobe weighing 25 Pounds. Ibid. (1708), mmmmcccclxxxvii/2. It brings 10,000 Arobas of Gold, each Aroba is 32 pound weight.
1853. Th. Ross, Humboldt’s Trav., III. xxxi. 258. The price of sugar at the Havannah is always by the arroba of 25 Spanish pounds. Ibid., xxxii. 405. An arob of gold.
2. A Spanish liquid measure, varying in different places, and according to the liquid, from 2·6 to 3·6 gallons.
[1623. in Minsheu.]
1633. T. Stafford, Pac. Hib., xxvi. (1821), 469. And sixe hundred Arrobas of Oyle.
(Since the introduction of the French metrical system in 1859, the arroba has had no official existence in Spain.)
