English → Latin
“pound” in Latin
lībralibra, Roman pound, a Roman unit of mass, equivalent to about 327 g; scales, a tool used to balance two weights to measuliberbook; the inner bark of a treepondōby weight, in weight; in pounds, pounds (as the most common unit of weight)lībrāliscontaining a pound, of a pound weightlibrāriusof or pertaining to bookssēlībrahalf a lībra (Roman pound)comminuōto break or crumble into small pieces; to pulverize or comminute; to lessenconterōto grind or crush to pieces; to bruise or crumble; to wear down or away, consume
The English word pound itself goes back to Latin pondus, through pondō.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
pound s.
In weight, libra; libra pondo (☞ as in this sense is very rare, and ought not to be employed in writing Latin: libra is usually omitted; e.g., corona aurea libram pondo (sc. valens), a golden crown of a pound weight; patera ex quinque auri (libris) pondo (offive pounds weight). To weigh a pound, libram pondo valere: weighing a pound, of a pound weight, libralis; librarius: half a pound, selibra; selibra pondo: a pound weight; i. e., that which is used in weighing, pondus librale: a twelve-pounder, *tormentum bellicum globes singulos duodecim librarum mittens.
In money, *libra (Anglicana).
A pen, fold for beasts that trespass or stray, *locus, septum publicum, quo capta pecora custodiae traduntur.
pound v.
To beat as with a pestle, tundere aliquid in pila (inpollinem, in farinam); comminuere, conterere, obterere aliquid.
To shut up in a pound, *capta pecora custodiae tradere, septo publico includere.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for pound?
- The usual Latin words for “pound” are lībra, liber, pondō; also lībrālis, librārius, sēlībra. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.