n 1  :  the property of a body that is a measure of its inertia, that is commonly taken as a measure of the amount of material it contains, that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field, and that along with length and time constitutes one of the fundamental quantities on which all physical measurements are based  2  :  a homogeneous pasty mixture compounded for making pills, lozenges, and plasters <blue >  .
 
 
 
Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.  © 1997-2024.