hubba

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Hindustani حَبَّہ (habba) / हब्बा (habbā), from Classical Persian حبه (habba), from Arabic حَبَّة (ḥabba).

Noun

hubba (plural hubbas)

1. (British India) A grain.
   • 1825, William Milburn, Thomas Thornton, Oriental Commerce, page 111:

     Diamonds and pearls are sold by hubbas and ruttees; 8 hubbas equal to 1 ruttee, about 2 grains troy.

2. (British India) A jot or tittle; the smallest amount.
   • 1786, Warren Hastings, India Courier Extraordinary, page 307:

     The camp Banyans, to make their purchases of him, pay the assize your Highness may fix, and not a hubba shall be taken without payment being made.

See also

• hubba hubba
• hubba-wha

 

References

• Henry Yule, A[rthur] C[oke] Burnell (1903) “hubba”, in William Crooke, editor, Hobson-Jobson […] , London: John Murray, […], page 428.