What is the Latin word for dram?

The usual Latin words for “dram” are drachma, tantulus, hauriō; also possum, pōtō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“dram” in Latin

drachmadrachma (Ancient Greek coin, one hundredth of a mina)tantulusso small; so trifling hauriōto draw (especially water), drain; to drain, drink up, swallow; to take in with the senses as if to drink or swallow possumbe able to, can, may; in the 3rd person singular (pote est): it may be, it is possible; to have influence or efficacy, t pōtōto drink

The English word dram itself goes back to Latin drachma, through dragma.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

dram

The weight, drachma (as weight; Plin. 21, 34, 1 09).

Colloquial; for a very little, tantulum (a favorite word of Cic.’s): if there could be a single dram of difference, si interesse quippiam tantulum modo possit (potuerit, etc.): not a single dram of, ne tantulum quidem.

The quantity swallowed at a draught, haustus: a dram of brandy, haustus vini e frumento expressi. A dram drinker, vini e frumento expressi potor or (Plaut.) potator.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for dram?: The usual Latin words for “dram” are drachma, tantulus, hauriō; also possum, pōtō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.