1. one of the two shallow dishes or platforms of a balance scale that holds items to be weighed

Examples

• Place the coins on the left scalepan and the weights on the right.
• The scalepan tipped downward when she added the heavy stone.
• Each scalepan must be perfectly balanced for accurate measurements.
• The old brass scalepans gleamed in the sunlight.
• She carefully placed the powder on one scalepan of the laboratory balance.
• The merchant adjusted the goods on each scalepan until they were level.