We’re not quite sure why we call a pound (as in, the money kind) a “quid”, even though it’s been used since the 1600s.
Some think it could come from the Italian “scudo,” the Irish “cuid”, or the Latin “quid pro quo”.
But what about the weight kind? I’ve always wondered why pounds get shortened to “lbs” in recipes. And as it turns out, there’s a more solid reason behind the choice than the mysterious “quid”.
Why is “lb” short for “pound”?
In Ancient Roman times, “Libra Pondo” was a standard unit of measurement, the BBC explained. It stood for “pound weight” and referred to the equivalent value of a pound of silver.
We get the English word “pound” from the second part of that term (pondo). And the sterling pound sign also derives from the Latin – Read Entire Article
English (US)