Why is the English pound written as "lb"? Even though the word is "pound"
"Pound" is a unit of weight that represents approximately 453.6 grams. Why is it displayed as "lb" even though the original English word is "pound"?
1)
In English, units of measurement are often expressed as abbreviations.
For example, a tablespoon is displayed as a "tbsp," a quart as a "qt," and a yard as a "yd."
On the other hand, the abbreviation for the unit of weight "pound," which represents about 453.6 grams, is "lb." Why do we use this abbreviation when the original word "pound" does not contain the letters l or b?
2)
Why is pound in lb?:
The answer goes back to Ancient Rome: "lb" is an abbreviation of the Latin word Libra.
Those familiar with astrology will know that Libra is the seventh sign of the zodiac, represented by a scale symbol.
In Roman times, the word "libra" meant balance or scales and was also used as a unit of weight.
The unit in question was "libra pondo," which means "pound weight" or "one pound in weight." The abbreviation "libra," "lb," meant pound of weight.
The oldest record of "libra" or "lb" being used to mean "pound" in English is said to date back to the 14th century.
Meanwhile, the "pound" part of "libra pondo" became the origin of the English word "pound."
3)
The British currency "pound" also has its origin in its weight:
While "pound" is a word associated with a unit of weight in America, most people probably think of it as a unit of currency in Britain.
This comes from the fact that one pound of currency was initially equivalent to one pound of silver.
The British pound's currency symbol, "£," is also related to the word "libra." "£" is a fancy way of writing a capital L.
4)
Additionally, the former Italian currency, the lira, and its symbol, ₤, also have the exact origin, Libra.
Additionally, the pound is represented by the symbol "#", which is thought to be a variation of the hastily written abbreviation "lb", which stood for libra pondo (pound of weight), written by medieval scribes.
5)
What is OZ in ounces?:
In addition to pound, another confusing abbreviation is "oz," for "ounce," which is about 28.35 grams, or 1/16 of a pound. This abbreviation also dates back to Roman times.
"Ounce" comes from the Latin "uncia," which means one-twelfth of a weight, length, or volume unit.
6)
Today, in common usage, an ounce is 1/16 of a pound, but in ancient Rome, a pound was 12 ounces, not 16.
The word "ounce," as well as the English word "inch," which is 1/12 of a foot and measures 2.54 cm, is derived from "uncia."
This Latin word "uncia" became the Old English "ynce" and then the modern "inch."
7)
On the other hand, "ounce" came from "uncia" via the French "unce" and then "once" into English. The abbreviation "oz" comes from the medieval Italian "onza."
In other words, "ounce" and "oz" came into English through different routes, namely France and Italy.
Why is the English pound written as "lb"? Even though the word is "pound"
"Pound" is a unit of weight that represents approximately 453.6 grams. Why is it displayed as "lb" even though the original English word is "pound"?
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