Why do we abbreviate pounds as lbs.?
There may already be an answer to this but the search engine requires searches to be at least 4 letters so I couldn’t search on lbs.
It comes from the Latin word libra, meaning “pound.” Also, properly the abbreviation is “lb.” whether it stands for “pound” or “pounds.”
Okay. Next question is why change the word? If Libra meant Pound (in weight) then why call them Pounds? Why not call them Libras? Or Librae. Or whatever.
Actually, the original latin phrase was “libra pondo”, a pound in weight, giving rise to both the word (pound) and the abbreviation (lb.). Libra could mean either a pound or scales, as in the constellation Libra.
Ah, thanks, yabob. I couldn’t recall whether the literal meaning was “pound” or “scales” as in the constellation/zodiac sign. My dictionary had “pound,” but turns out it’s both!
I might also add here that libra is also the source of the symbol for the British pound (£).
Was the British pound (money) originally based on the value of one pound (weight) of something?
Hmmm, good question, Mr2001. I thought a Google search on “pound sterling history” might help, but so far no dice – just lots of explanations about shillings and pence. Anyone else wanna take a stab at it?
Ah, here’s something from a semi-autoritative-looking source (means take this with a grain of salt, but it seems to make sense):
“The term pound originated in Anglo-Saxon Britain during the 8th century when the basic monetary unit, called a “sterling,” was made equivalent to 1/240 of a pound of silver. Eventually, 240 sterlings became known as a “pound of sterling.” The pound was convertible into silver until 1717, when the British government substituted gold in the amount cited above.”
OK, so your next question is "Why “sterling”? Hang on, I’m on it – found that information before:
“The terms “sterling” and “pound sterling”, seem to have acquired their meaning over a period of time, and from several convergent sources. The first mention is that of “sterilensis” in 1078, and by the thirteenth century the term sterling had appeared. Mintmarks on pennies included a star and a starling, both of which have been argued to be the source of the word sterling. Easterlings were early merchants and money-changers, and this may have contributed to the use of the word sterling. The Germanic word “ster” means strong or stout, and is probably the strongest influence in the use of the word sterling to mean strong, pure, stable, reliable, or excellent, and reflects the high esteem in which the English silver coinage was regarded. The term “pound sterling” was used throughout Europe during the Middle Ages.”
So there you go.
Cecil: Why are pound and ounce abbreviated “lb.” and “oz.”?
And a thread: Where do we get lbs?
“Libra” is also the root word for the Italian lira, which originally had the same value as the British pound (i.e., the value of one pound of silver).
And the historical French monetary unit “livre.” (“Livre” also means weight pound and pound sterling. For the curious, “livre” meaning book is from a different Latin word, and is masculine, whereas “livre” meaning pound is feminine.)
When the French took over, many Old French words infiltrated the English language “joy,” “change,” and “hotel,” are just a few.
Therefore, the actual origin of the symbol for the British monetary unit comes from the French “une livre” rather than from Latin or Spanish.