Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: The Litre



At 23:27 4/29/99 +0700, you wrote:
Dear friends, 29 April 1999

I would like to request information on the origins of the word "litre", a
unit for volume.


From the Secretary of the History of Physics Group, Institute of Physics
(UK), and of the Science Museum, London, Mr. Neil Brown, I got information
that the above story might be fiction ("I can find no support for the story
that the unit of volume is named after a Mr. Litre: It seems to be an
amusing fiction"); or would you think it is a hoax or joke?
...
A Rusli


The New Century Dictionary is particularly strong on American etymology
It offers:
liter, litre n. French. litre from litron: old measure of capacity from
Middle Latin litra: measure for liquids from Greek litra: (prob. from Latin
Libra) pound.

The Oxford notes French usage from 1793 prob. from Low Latin
from Greek litra pound.


brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>
Altus OK