Why is pound abbrievated as lb.

The internet tells me that "lb.", the short form for the word pound, has a Latin origin. The Latin word, libre, has as one of its meanings, scales, like this one.


The word, pondus, in Latin means weight.



The current weight of the pound we use in Canada which is the international avoirdupois pound is exactly 0.45359237 kilograms or 16 ounces.


I just learned today that a pound is China is 500 grams but in Taiwan a pound contains 600 grams. We sometimes refer to a half a kilo as a metric pound.

Wikipedia tells me that the expression avoirdupois pound was invented by London merchants in 1303. It sounds more like a French expression about eating a lot of peas. Ironically, the troy pound takes its name from the French market town of Troyes in France. The word, troy, should have an English origin! It sounds like a typical old English word. I think the only things weighed with troy pounds are bars or gold and silver. A troy pound is about 12 ounces or about 373 grams.

A pound weighs slightly less than half a kilo. I wonder if the pound was just slightly more than a half a kilo if we would have eventually made the weight of a pound equal to half a kilo.

And while we are at it, does anyone see the day when we will use only metric measurements.

And, who started using this sign - # - to mean pound, and why? Does it always mean number if it is before a figure and pound if it is after a figure?

And lastly, how did ounce get shortened to oz.