tonne

noun

ˈtən How to pronounce tonne (audio)
: metric ton

Examples of tonne in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The seafood industry in the state of Maine generates approximately 50,000 tons (45,359 tonnes) of lobster shells every year, most of which end up in landfills. — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026 All told, ore from Bayan Obo was used to produce 170,000 tonnes of rare-earth metal last year, according to David Merriman, research director at the minerals intelligence firm Project Blue. — Glenn Zorpette, IEEE Spectrum, 15 Oct. 2026 The People's Bank of China added about 23 tonnes in September, its biggest monthly purchase in almost three years, according to State Administration of Foreign Exchange data, extending the longest purchasing streak since at least 2015. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026 Recent trade statistics from the country’s finance ministry show exports tripled to 5,248 tonnes between 2017 and 2025. — Irenie Forshaw, TheWeek, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tonne

Word History

Etymology

French, from tonne tun, from Old French — more at tunnel

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tonne was in 1869

Rhymes for tonne

See All Rhymes for tonne

Browse Nearby Words

tonnage train
tonne
tonneau
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tonne.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tonne. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All