How many ounces are in a pound?
There are 16 ounces in a pound in the avoirdupois system used for everyday weights in the United States and the UK. One pound equals about 453.6 grams.
The avoirdupois system, used for weighing food, people and most goods, has 16 ounces to the pound. One ounce equals about 28.35 grams. The name comes from Old French, meaning goods of weight. The abbreviation lb for pound comes from the Latin libra, an ancient Roman unit of weight.
A different system, troy weight, is used for precious metals such as gold and silver. A troy pound has 12 troy ounces, and a troy ounce is slightly heavier, about 31.1 grams. Gold prices are quoted per troy ounce, so an ounce of gold is heavier than an ounce of flour.
Ounces for liquids
Fluid ounces measure volume, not weight. In the United States, a fluid ounce is about 29.6 milliliters, and there are 16 fluid ounces in a pint. In the United Kingdom, a fluid ounce is about 28.4 milliliters, and a pint has 20 fluid ounces.
Did You Know?
In the UK, body weight is often given in stone. One stone equals 14 pounds, or about 6.35 kilograms.