The ounce is a fascinating unit with a rich history, dating back to Ancient Rome. The term “ounce” is derived from the Latin word “uncia,” meaning “one-twelfth.” Originally used by the Romans as a unit of weight, an uncia represented one-twelfth of a Roman pound. The versatility of the ounce becomes even more intriguing when you consider its application in both weight and volume measurements today.
In the realm of precious metals, such as gold and silver, the term “troy ounce” is used, which is approximately 10% heavier than the customary ounce. Meanwhile, in British imperial and American systems, an ounce can denote both dry and liquid measurements. The fluid ounce, however, differs slightly between the UK and the US, with the UK fluid ounce being approximately 28.4 milliliters and the US at about 29.6 milliliters. This multifaceted unit highlights how historical roots continue to influence modern measurement systems worldwide.
The pound, symbolized as “lb,” has an intriguing history that dates back to ancient Rome. The word “pound” originates from the Latin word “libra,” a unit used in Rome, which explains its abbreviation “lb.” The pound in England was first standardized in the 13th century as the Tower pound, which was later replaced by the more familiar Avoirdupois pound in 1959. This unit is still widely used in the United States and other countries as a measure of weight, equivalent to 16 ounces or approximately 453.592 grams.
The term “pound” is also used in currency, notably the British Pound Sterling, reflecting its historical association with a pound weight of silver. Interestingly, both uses of “pound” highlight its longstanding economic significance, indicating value and weight across different contexts and time periods. Such dual purposes underscore the unit’s adaptability and persistence through history, making it a fascinating study in linguistic and metrological evolution.
Ounces | Pounds |
---|---|
0
oz
|
0
lb
|
1
oz
|
0.0625
lb
|
2
oz
|
0.125
lb
|
3
oz
|
0.1875
lb
|
4
oz
|
0.25
lb
|
5
oz
|
0.3125
lb
|
6
oz
|
0.375
lb
|
7
oz
|
0.4375
lb
|
8
oz
|
0.5
lb
|
9
oz
|
0.5625
lb
|
10
oz
|
0.625
lb
|
11
oz
|
0.6875
lb
|
12
oz
|
0.75
lb
|
13
oz
|
0.8125
lb
|
14
oz
|
0.875
lb
|
15
oz
|
0.9375
lb
|
16
oz
|
1
lb
|
17
oz
|
1.0625
lb
|
18
oz
|
1.125
lb
|
19
oz
|
1.1875
lb
|
20
oz
|
1.25
lb
|
21
oz
|
1.3125
lb
|
22
oz
|
1.375
lb
|
23
oz
|
1.4375
lb
|
24
oz
|
1.5
lb
|
25
oz
|
1.5625
lb
|
26
oz
|
1.625
lb
|
27
oz
|
1.6875
lb
|
28
oz
|
1.75
lb
|
29
oz
|
1.8125
lb
|
30
oz
|
1.875
lb
|
31
oz
|
1.9375
lb
|
32
oz
|
2
lb
|
33
oz
|
2.0625
lb
|
34
oz
|
2.125
lb
|
35
oz
|
2.1875
lb
|
36
oz
|
2.25
lb
|
37
oz
|
2.3125
lb
|
38
oz
|
2.375
lb
|
39
oz
|
2.4375
lb
|
40
oz
|
2.5
lb
|
41
oz
|
2.5625
lb
|
42
oz
|
2.625
lb
|
43
oz
|
2.6875
lb
|
44
oz
|
2.75
lb
|
45
oz
|
2.8125
lb
|
46
oz
|
2.875
lb
|
47
oz
|
2.9375
lb
|
48
oz
|
3
lb
|
49
oz
|
3.0625
lb
|
50
oz
|
3.125
lb
|
51
oz
|
3.1875
lb
|
52
oz
|
3.25
lb
|
53
oz
|
3.3125
lb
|
54
oz
|
3.375
lb
|
55
oz
|
3.4375
lb
|
56
oz
|
3.5
lb
|
57
oz
|
3.5625
lb
|
58
oz
|
3.625
lb
|
59
oz
|
3.6875
lb
|
60
oz
|
3.75
lb
|
61
oz
|
3.8125
lb
|
62
oz
|
3.875
lb
|
63
oz
|
3.9375
lb
|
64
oz
|
4
lb
|
65
oz
|
4.0625
lb
|
66
oz
|
4.125
lb
|
67
oz
|
4.1875
lb
|
68
oz
|
4.25
lb
|
69
oz
|
4.3125
lb
|
70
oz
|
4.375
lb
|
71
oz
|
4.4375
lb
|
72
oz
|
4.5
lb
|
73
oz
|
4.5625
lb
|
74
oz
|
4.625
lb
|
75
oz
|
4.6875
lb
|
76
oz
|
4.75
lb
|
77
oz
|
4.8125
lb
|
78
oz
|
4.875
lb
|
79
oz
|
4.9375
lb
|
80
oz
|
5
lb
|
81
oz
|
5.0625
lb
|
82
oz
|
5.125
lb
|
83
oz
|
5.1875
lb
|
84
oz
|
5.25
lb
|
85
oz
|
5.3125
lb
|
86
oz
|
5.375
lb
|
87
oz
|
5.4375
lb
|
88
oz
|
5.5
lb
|
89
oz
|
5.5625
lb
|
90
oz
|
5.625
lb
|
91
oz
|
5.6875
lb
|
92
oz
|
5.75
lb
|
93
oz
|
5.8125
lb
|
94
oz
|
5.875
lb
|
95
oz
|
5.9375
lb
|
96
oz
|
6
lb
|
97
oz
|
6.0625
lb
|
98
oz
|
6.125
lb
|
99
oz
|
6.1875
lb
|
100
oz
|
6.25
lb
|
If you like the website, share it on social media.