noun
pound
The basic unit of money in Britain and some other countries.
A cup of coffee in London costs three pounds.
Etymology
The money name comes from the weight word pound. It originally referred to a pound weight of silver, before becoming a monetary unit independent of that literal weight.
More examples
- One pound equals 100 pence in British currency.
- She exchanges her dollars for Egyptian pounds.
- The pound rises against the dollar today.
Forms
pound · pounds
Similar words
- sterling
- Names British currency generally, rather than an individual monetary unit.