B2nounsciencebusiness
US/tʌn/
UK/tʌn/
a unit of weight equal to 1,000 kilograms
In context
The ship carries about fifty thousand tonnes of rice.
Farmers harvested three tonnes of tomatoes from the small field.
The country produces millions of tonnes of steel every year.
Words that go with tonne
noun + noun
- million tonnesThe plant makes two million tonnes of cement a year.
- thousand tonnesOver a thousand tonnes of food were wasted.
noun + preposition
- tonnes ofTonnes of plastic end up in the ocean.
- per tonnePrices rose to nine hundred dollars per tonne.
- a tonne of carbonA single flight can release a tonne of carbon.
adjective + noun
- metric tonneOne metric tonne equals one thousand kilograms.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:
five tonne of coalCorrect: five tonnes of coal