The first British pound coin appeared in 1489, during the reign of Henry VII. Often times, different books will use different abbreviations, which can cause confusion when putting together a dish. However, the abbreviation "lb" is derived from the libra part of the word. They agreed that a yard would be exactly 0.9144 of a meter, while a pound would be equivalent to 0.453 592 37 kilograms. 2. Rate it: LB: Pound. The pound or pound-mass (abbreviations: lb, ℔, lbm, or sometimes in the United States: #) is a unit of mass used in the imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement. According to the The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a pound is any of a number of units to measure weight and mass. Always choose the latter. The British symbol for pound also has interesting ties to Libra. You will find my 13 NOV 2019 answer below (to Why is the abbreviation for pounds of weight "lbs."?) Otherwise the term pound is normally used. Given the crucial role of the scales in weight measurement, perhaps it is … They are made up of of letters from the words they stand for. 0 0. The previous world record was 534 pounds.”—Fox News, “Pounds are often referred to as GBP (Great Britain Pounds) or sterling (short for pounds sterling). This is because its original value was worth a pound of silver. But a pound in weight is abbreviated to lb as it dates back to ancient times. Governmental » NASA. 2 0. It was almost equivalent to today's English pound. This pound was brought to Britain and other provinces where it became the standard for weighing gold and silver and for use in all commercial transactions. In large part there has not been the same level of formalization for the US customary system of units as there has been for metric units. POTX - POU - POUCG - POUCH - POUM - POUPS - POUR - POUS - POUT - POUTS. Find out what is the most common shorthand of Pounds on Abbreviations.com! Libra is also the Latin word for scales (hence why the zodiac sign is denoted by the balance scales), and scales were an extremely important part of weight measurement since antiquity. The word ounce, as a unit of weight, originated in the English language in the early fourteenth century. Dictionary was the source. Looking for the abbreviation of Foot-Pound? Having a variety, one pound is legally defined as and is exactly equivalent to 0.453 592 37 kilograms. stone: st: quarter: qtr: hundreweight: cwt: ton: t: The US customary ton is sometimes known as the short ton, abbreviation sh. Libra is also the Latin word for scales (hence why the zodiac sign is denoted by the balance scales), and scales were an extremely important part of weight measurement since antiquity. Although some recipes spell out measurements, a lot of cookbooks use abbreviations. The earliest known uses of “libra” or “lb” for pound in the English language supposedly appear in … 6 years ago. Still, people regularly add an s to indicate that the pounds are plural. “Pounds” derives from the name of an ancient Roman unit of measurement, Libra pondo. lbs is an abbreviation for the Latin word for pound, libra, and this in itself is an abbreviation for libra pondo which means “a pound weight”. The continent of Asia is one of the fastest growing economic territories in the world. Most people from the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Liberia and Burma use … I know that you’ve tried thinking of the word pound and why it has an abbreviation of lbs. 12 ways to abbreviate Pound updated 2020. The full official name pound sterling (plural: pounds sterling), is used mainly in formal contexts and also when it is necessary to distinguish the United Kingdom currency from other currencies with the same name. Good luck. The carpenter pounds nails into the wood to make furniture. For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/wcrc0 "pound" and "lb" are singular. Here’s how long it takes a typical turkey to thaw in the fridge—4-12 pounds: 1 to 3 days, 12-16 pounds: 3 to 4 days,16-20 pounds: 4 to 5 days, 20-24 pounds: 5 to 6 days…”—Epicurious, “The Met has vehicle pounds at Charlton and Perivale, run by police staff and officers. tn. or … pound: lb: For more than one pound the abbreviation lbs is sometimes used. are sometimes used. Source(s): https://snipurl.im/aYUoG. We got the word "pound" in English from the pondo part of the libra pondo but our abbreviation comes from the libra. Represented by an “L”, this type of pound also comes from libra pondo, so it makes sense why the British abbreviation for pounds … The “pound sterling” is a monetary unit of measurement that’s used as the official form of currency across the United Kingdom. The Abbreviation for Pages: What Is It and How Is It Used? The "pondo" part of the measurement is the origin behind the English word "pound," while the "libra" part is the origin behind "lb" being the abbreviation. The waves pound repeatedly on the beach. The British word for currency also stems from Latin origins. There is no rhyme or reason to it at all. The abbreviation.lbs is based on the word "libra." How to abbreviate Pound? On July 1, 1959, six nations, namely the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the Union of South Africa, agreed to adopt the yard as a measurement for length. It’s used as a United States customary unit and as part of the imperial system, as opposed to the metric system, which measures weight in grams. The Web's largest and most authoritative acronyms and abbreviations resource. . We got the word “pound” in English from the pondo part of the libra pondo but our abbreviation comes from the libra. Pound. GBP is the abbreviation for the British pound sterling, the official currency of the United Kingdom and its territories. The avoirdupois pound (abbreviation lb., plural lbs.) The abbreviation lb for pound is derived from libra. Doublet of pood. According to Merriam-Webster, it means, “to reduce to powder or pulp by beating,” and “to strike heavily or repeatedly.” For example: 1. While the word pounds is an English word for a unit of weight measure, its common abbreviation of lbs goes against normal protocol because it does not share letters from the word for which it stands. https://www.sporcle.com/blog/2019/07/why-is-pound-abbreviated-as-lb Most people will be familiar with common abbreviations for weights such as kg for kilograms and lb for pounds, however there are many that you may not be so familiar with and need to look up from time to time. Answer #4 | 21/11 2014 11:53 Depending upon what kind of pound you're asking about: lb. Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web. Find out what is the most common shorthand of Pond on Abbreviations.com! You can adopt a stray dog from the pound. A libra was the basic unit of weight used by Ancient Romans. Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. "Pound." Similarly, that's why the symbol for the British pound is £, or an L with a line through it, because it also comes from libra pondo and, according to the BBC, "the pound's value originally equated to the price of a pound of silver." 6 Jan. 2021. The libra is also why the symbol for the British pound is … A pound measures the weight of something. "pounds" and "lbs" are plural. It’s shorthand for “pounds weight” but isn’t an abbreviation of the word pounds. The abbreviation of pounds depends on its respective meaning. Historically, in different parts of the world, at different points in time, and for different applications, the pound (or its translation) has referred to broadly similar but not identical standards of mass or force. Find out what is the most common shorthand of Pound For Pound on Abbreviations.com! lbs is an abbreviation for the Latin word for pound, libra, and this in itself is an abbreviation for libra pondo which means “a pound weight”. According to Merriam-Webster, it means, “to reduce to powder or pulp by beating,” and “to strike heavily or repeatedly.”, As a unit of mass, the pound dates back to ancient Rome and the libra (328.9 grams). Ain’t it beautiful? Looking for the abbreviation of Pounds? The definition goes on to describe the pound as “a unit now in general use among English-speaking peoples equal to 16 avoirdupois ounces or 7000 grains or 0.4536 kilogram.”. In general Americans have a hard time understanding units of measurement. In Latin and medieval Italian, a pound of mass was referred to as libra pondo or “a pound by weight,” where pondo is an Italian word meaning weight and measures. The pound is equal to 0.45 kilograms, and is sometimes called the avoirdupois pound. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-26169070, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pound, https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/vr/vehicle-recovery/met-pounds/charlton-perivale-pounds/, https://www.epicurious.com/holidays-events/the-easiest-way-to-cook-turkey-article, https://www.cookingconversions.org/lbtokg.htm, https://www.bbc.com/news/business-49015116, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7537233/Nurse-31-avoids-jail-stealing-hundreds-pounds-dementia-patients.html, https://www.money.co.uk/travel-money/best-euro-exchange-rate.htm, https://www.foxnews.com/us/airman-bench-press-air-force. Are you looking for the abbreviation for pounds? In general Americans have a hard time understanding units of measurement. is the most common unit.This type is used for all purposes except the uses of the troy pound. The Web's largest and most authoritative acronyms and abbreviations resource. Common cooking abbreviations. 3. One-twelfth of the libra, the Roman uncia, is the ancestor of… or sh. A Roman libra or pound is an ancient unit of mass that … The Abbreviation for Lieutenant: What is it and how is it used. Send questions to Cecil via cecil@straightdope.com. Find out what is the most common shorthand of Foot-Pound on Abbreviations.com! These are the official names for our currency because other countries also use pounds.”—Money.co.uk, “A nurse stole hundreds of pounds from dementia patients on her ward to spend on clothes.”—Daily Mail, “If you do use a card on your holiday, shops, restaurants and cash machines will usually ask if you want to pay in pounds rather than the local currency. Abbreviation For Pounds. Keep reading! Rate it: LB: Pound. Pound is the standard measure for mass. Compose bold, clear, mistake-free writing with Grammarly's AI-powered writing assistant. Avoirdupois pound. The Web's largest and most authoritative acronyms and abbreviations resource. The most popular abbreviation for Pound is: lb Academic & Science » Meteorology. and "stg." The term "British pound" is sometimes used in less formal contexts, but it is not an official name of the currency. Metric Unit Abbreviations. Looking for the abbreviation of Foot-Pound? It was also part of a unit of measurement ― libra pondo, which has been translated as “pound weight” or “a pound by weight.” So the shorthand libra, or “lb,” referred to a pound by weight. When baking, you’ll need to pound th… Those words are derived from the Latin uncia, which means “one-twelfth of a part,” and another Latin word, unus, which means “one.” These Latin words were adopted into Old English as ynce, which referred to one-twelfth of a pound i… or l. t. Cecil Adams. Most commonly used in the international units of measure, pound is an expression of a unit in relation to mass or weight. From Middle English pound, from Old English pund (“a pound, weight”), from Proto-Germanic *pundą (“pound, weight”), an early borrowing from Latin pondō (“by weight”), ablative form of pondus (“weight”), from Proto-Indo-European *pend-, *spend- (“to pull, stretch”). Rate it: LB: Pound. The form lb is actually an abbreviation of the Latin word libra, which could mean a pound, itself a shortened form of the full expression, libra pondo, “pound weight”. But the abbreviation for pound is a very special exception. Abbreviations are lower case, singular, and have no period at the end. The second word of this phrase, by the way, is the origin of the English pound. The Abbreviation for Million: What Is It and How to Use It? Here is a list of Asian countries and the currencies they use. Interestingly, the symbol of a British pound (£) is also related to the word libra, as it is an ornate form of the capital letter L. The Italian lira ― and its similar symbol ― also derives from libra. Rate it: He can be found online here. The pound is a unit of weight that comes from the ancient Roman unit of measure libra pondo. It stands for the unit of weight 'pound'. Why is lb the abbreviation for pound? It comes from the Old French words once and unce, which are measures of weight or time. Miscellaneous » Aircraft & Aviation. Phillip McAllister. STANDS4 LLC, 2021. Because the English word is ultimately descended from the ancient Roman word libra, we get the abbreviation lb. Most of our abbreviations for units of measurements are pretty straightforward. This is because the English word gets its abbreviation from the word’s Latin origins. Please make sure that you bring the correct documents with you; otherwise, we won’t be able to release your vehicle.”—Metropolitan Police. Pound can also be used as a verb. Look no further; we’ll dig into everything about the word’s meaning, origin, and synonyms. In large part there has not been the same level of formalization for the US customary system of units as there has been for metric units. It neither has the the letter l nor the letter b in it.However, every time you see the three (3) letters lbs, you automatically know that it stands for pounds.The ultimate question as to where this originated is actually thrown all around the globe. Abbreviations.com. The currency name is sometimes abbreviated to just sterling, particularly in the wholesale financial markets, but not when referring to specific amounts; for example, "Payment is accepted in sterling" but never "These cost five sterling". He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! Looking for the abbreviation of Pound For Pound? Proper abbreviation for "pounds"Lb comes from the Latin word "libra," which means "scales, balances" and it also describes a Roman unit of mass similar to a pound. Each country in Asia uses its own currency with the exception of Timor-Leste, which uses the US dollar. Most abbreviations are clearly derived from their root word, like "pt" for pint. The Web's largest and most authoritative acronyms and abbreviations resource. 5 years ago. So “lb” became the shorthand for “a pound of weight.” Although it’s Americans who are most likely to be abbreviating pounds, the British use the word to describe their currency — the pound. lbs is an abbreviation already, and doesn't get abbreviated further; it is max abbreviated. It stands for the unit of weight 'pound'. Find out what is the most common shorthand of Foot-Pound on Abbreviations.com! Pound derives from the Latin pondo, “by weight.” You ask: why take pound from one Latin word but the abbreviation from a DIFFERENT Latin word? Cognate with Dutch pond, German Pfund, Swedish pund. The abbreviation for the word, "pound" is usually "lb." The word pound, when used as a verb, does not have an abbreviation. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. Looking for the abbreviation of Pond? Tourists can lose up to 10% by paying in sterling rather than the domestic currency.”—BBC News, “When embarking on larger projects such as wedding cakes, jam making, or winemaking you will find that instead of ounces or grams, you will see pounds or kilograms in your recipe.”—CookingConversions.org, “The ideal place to thaw your turkey is in the fridge, which can take up to a week depending on the size of the bird. Similarly, the pound sign is a letter L with a single line going through. We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly. The abbreviations "ster." A list of all abbreviations for metric, imperial and troy weight units are given on this page. t., and the British imperial ton is sometimes known as the long ton, abbreviation l. tn. Technically, the abbreviation lb should never be written as lbs because the plural for libra is librae. A number of different definitions have been used the most commonly used today being the international avoirdupois pound of exactly 453.59237 grams. Miscellaneous » Unit Measures. Pound can also be used as a verb. And the pound sign (#) is related to libra pondo and the way medieval scribes wrote the abbreviation “lb.” We’ll break down the abbreviation of the word and provide examples where it’s used in a sentence. This Latin phrase translates to “a pound by weight.” Our word “pound” … Governmental » Military. INCHES is shortened to Ins, centimetres to cm and kilograms to kg. I know. Libra is also the word for astrological sign, the seventh sign of the zodiac, in the English language. Anonymous. Historically, in different parts of the world, at different points in time, and for different applications, the pound (or its translation) has referred to broadly similar but not identical standards of mass or force. A pound could also refer to a dwelling or enclosure for animals or cars. The Web's largest and most authoritative acronyms and abbreviations … lbs is an abbreviation already, and doesn't get abbreviated further; it is max abbreviated. As for the definition relating to an enclosure for animals, that meaning developed in the 14th century from the Old English word pundfald, meaning “penfold, pound.”, “He benched 551 pounds while weighing 218 pounds and competing in the 198- to  220-pound weight class. Web. The … The British pound, or pound sterling, is the official currency of the United Kingdom. Check AP Styleguide, Gregg's and CMOS for validation. For example, the tablespoon and teaspoon abbreviation may look very similar and can be mistaken for one another: Rate it: lb: pound. The libra is also why the symbol for the British pound is … They adopted a pound as a measurement of weight. Answer below ( to why is the official currency of the United Kingdom abbreviations for units of measurement measure. Pound, or pound sterling, is the most common shorthand of pound for is. Sometimes known as the long ton, abbreviation l. tn “ pounds ” from... 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