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Message: <blockquote data-quote="arscott" data-source="post: 4164847" data-attributes="member: 17969">As I understood it, Kilogram was always intended to be the base metric unit.  But the Kilogram was originally called the Grave, which, coincidentally, is also a title of nobility.  This being that period of French history wherein men and women possessing such titles were being decapitated with alarming regularity, it was deemed politically expedient to apply a less troublesome appellation to the base unit of mass.Gram, already existent as a vulgar expression for the measurement more properly known as a milligrave, was thus promoted into the august company of the meter.I can make no claims as to the truth or falsehood of the just-relayed anecdote.  I merely partook of the telling so as to provide a diverting amusement for my fellow forum-goers and to indulge in my fondness for unnecessary verbiage.</blockquote>