A pound is a unit of measurement most often used to measure weight, though it can also be used to measure other types. A pound looks like two interlocking circles with a horizontal line running through them. This symbol usually appears as “lb” and stands for libra, the Latin word for “balance or scales. Historically, a pound was defined as equal to 16 ounces, however in modern times this varies depending on where you are located - within the US it is now set at 14 ounces while in some other countries such as Canada and Australia it remains 16 ounces.