Convert ounces to pounds
Please provide values below to convert ounce [oz] to pound [lb], or vice versa.
Ounce
Definition: An ounce (symbol: oz) is a unit of weight in the imperial and US customary systems of measurement. The avoirdupois ounce, which is most commonly used today, equals 1/16 of an avoirdupois pound and is officially defined as exactly 28.349523125 grams.
History/origin: The word "ounce" comes from the Latin word "uncia," meaning a twelfth part, originally referring to the twelfth part of a Roman pound (libra). The abbreviation "oz" derives from the Italian word "onza." Historically, there have been many different types of ounces used across various cultures and time periods.
The avoirdupois ounce became standardized in England and later across the British Empire as 1/16 of a pound. The troy ounce, still used for precious metals, weighs about 31.1 grams (1/12 of a troy pound). There's also the fluid ounce, which measures volume rather than weight.
Current use: The ounce remains widely used in the United States for everyday weight measurements, particularly in food packaging, recipes, and postal services. In many countries that have officially adopted the metric system, the ounce is still used in certain contexts. For example, precious metals like gold and silver are universally traded in troy ounces on international markets. The ounce is also commonly used for weighing smaller quantities where precision at the gram level isn't necessary, such as portions of food products, cosmetics, and dietary supplements.
Pound
Definition: A pound (symbol: lb) is a unit of mass or weight in the imperial and US customary systems of measurement. The international avoirdupois pound, the most common definition today, is legally defined as exactly 0.45359237 kilograms. One pound contains 16 avoirdupois ounces.
History/origin: The term "pound" derives from the ancient Roman unit "libra pondo," meaning "a pound by weight," which explains the abbreviation "lb." Throughout history, there have been many variations of the pound used in different regions.
In medieval England, various pound definitions existed, including the tower pound and the merchant's pound. The avoirdupois system, which established the 16-ounce pound, became widely used for most goods by the 16th century. The pound was standardized across the British Empire in the 19th century and later internationally defined in relation to the kilogram in 1959 by the International Yard and Pound Agreement.
Current use: The pound remains the primary unit of weight measurement in the United States for commercial, personal, and many industrial purposes. Despite the official adoption of the metric system in the UK and other Commonwealth countries, the pound is still commonly used there for human body weight, produce at markets, and in many everyday contexts. The pound is also used in specialized applications like aircraft weight specifications and in various industrial settings. In sports, certain weight categories and equipment specifications are still defined using pounds.