# Abbreviation

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviation/9583>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [October 20, 1999, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviation/9583 "1999-10-20T20:41:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SlimFlem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@SlimFlem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlimFlem)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 1999, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviation/9583/1 "1999-10-20T20:41:00Z")

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Can someone please tell me why the abbreviation for pound is lb.? Why???

jesse

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**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 1999, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviation/9583/2 "1999-10-20T20:45:00Z")

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Because lb is short for libra which is latin for pound. many of our weights, measures and words come from latin.

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You know what Atlas did, with the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders, his blood running over his chest for his efforts and the world continuing to bear down without concern for his efforts? He shrugged.

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**Author:** ![SlimFlem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@SlimFlem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlimFlem)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 1999, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviation/9583/3 "1999-10-20T20:50:00Z")

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Thank you. This just proves to me more that English is just a hodge-podge of other languages. In a way though, that is cool.

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**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 1999, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abbreviation/9583/4 "1999-10-20T20:51:00Z")

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Here ya go, hope this helps.  
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3\_257.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_257.html)

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Why yes, I am pretty fly for a white guy.