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• libra
  libra

  noun

  the ancient Roman pound (containing 5053 grains or 327.4 grams).
• Libra
  Libra

  noun

  the Balance, a zodiacal constellation between Virgo and Serpens.

libra

¹ American  

[lahy-bruh, lee-] / ˈlaɪ brə, ˈli- /

noun

• librae
  plural

1. the ancient Roman pound (containing 5053 grains or 327.4 grams).

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libra ² American  

[lee-vrah] / ˈli vrɑ /

noun

• libras
  plural

1. sol.

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Libra ³ American  

[lee-bruh, lahy-] / ˈli brə, ˈlaɪ- /

noun

• Librae
  genitive

1. Astronomy. the Balance, a zodiacal constellation between Virgo and Serpens.

2. Astrology.

   1. the seventh sign of the zodiac: the cardinal air sign.

   2. Also Libran. a person born under this sign, usually between September 23rd and October 22nd.

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libra ¹ British  

/ ˈlaɪbrə /

noun

1. an ancient Roman unit of weight corresponding to 1 pound, but equal to about 12 ounces

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Libra ² British  

/ ˈliːbrə /

noun

1. astronomy a small faint zodiacal constellation in the S hemisphere, lying between Virgo and Scorpius on the ecliptic

2. astrology

   1. Also called: the Scales.   the Balance.  the seventh sign of the zodiac, symbol ♎, having a cardinal air classification and ruled by the planet Venus. The sun is in this sign between about Sept 23 and Oct 22

   2. a person born under this sign

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adjective

1. astrology born under or characteristic of Libra

Libra Scientific  

/ lē′brə /

1. A constellation in the Southern Hemisphere near Scorpius and Virgo. Libra (the Scales or Balance) is the seventh sign of the zodiac.

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Usage

What does Libra mean? Libra is the name of a constellation that is interpreted as representing a pair of scales. It is also known as the Scales or the Balance. A constellation is a group of stars that appear near each other in the sky—especially a group that has been given a name. Libra is considered one of the 12 zodiacal constellations—constellations that appear within a particular portion of the sky called the zodiac. In astronomy, the zodiac is the band of sky along which the paths of the sun, the moon, and the planets appear to move. Despite its basis in astronomy, the word zodiac is mainly associated with and most often used in the context of astrology, the nonscientific practice in which the positions of heavenly bodies at certain times are thought to influence or be correlated with human behavior and events. In astrology, zodiac refers to a diagram (often a circular one) representing the zodiac belt and showing the symbols associated with each of the 12 constellations or sections, which are called the signs of the zodiac. Libra is one of these signs. It is situated between Virgo and Scorpio and is considered the seventh sign of the zodiac. The other signs of the zodiac are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. The position of the sun in a particular portion of the zodiac at the moment of a person’s birth is thought to correlate with their personality. This is what people are referring to when they talk about their zodiac sign (or star sign or often just sign). People whose sign is Libra are those born between September 23 and October 22. The word Libra can be used as a noun to refer to someone who is born during this time, as in I was born in late October, so I’m a Libra. The word Libran can be used to mean the same thing. It can also be used as an adjective form of Libra. Example: Oh, your birthday is in October? Are you a Libra?

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• librae
  plural
• libras
  plural

Etymology

Origin of libra¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin lībra

Origin of libra²

< Spanish < Latin lībra libra ¹

Origin of Libra³

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin lībra literally, pair of scales, libra ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

libra Libra librae libras Librae

Another has one libra of brick dust, and half a libra of rock salt, to which some add a sixth of a libra and a sicilicus of vitriol.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Georgius Agricola

Another is made of half a libra of brick dust, a third of a libra of rock salt, an uncia and a half of vitriol, and one uncia of saltpetre.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Georgius Agricola

The third consists of three librae of vitriol, one of saltpetre, half a libra of asbestos, and half a libra of baked bricks.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Georgius Agricola

If there was a libra of silver, there must be six drachmae of lead.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Georgius Agricola

Therefore, each centumpondium of this contains a third of a libra and a semi-uncia, a drachma, and the twenty-third part of a drachma of silver; from such copper it is profitable to separate the silver.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Georgius Agricola

The signs attributed to each profile were Virgo, Leo, and Libra.

From Slate ● May 5, 2026

Between March 3 and 5 four more vessels were struck: the Libra Trader, Gold Oak, Safeen Prestige and the Sonangol Namibe.

From Barron's ● Mar. 8, 2026

Cyber security researchers at CrowdStrike formed the name "Scattered Spider" because of the group's sporadic nature, but other cyber companies have given the cluster nicknames including Octo Tempest and Muddled Libra.

From BBC ● May 20, 2025

This study received support from the Libra Foundation and John Templeton Foundation.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 5, 2024

Rotating slowly in eternal sunshine, Libra would have abundant solar energy, so much, in fact, that some could be converted into microwaves and beamed back to earth.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins

To separate the copper from the silver we require five hundred librae of lead, more or less, with which the regulus is melted in the second furnace.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Georgius Agricola

The fourth consists of two librae of vitriol, as many librae of saltpetre, one quarter of a libra of alum, and three-quarters of a libra of spring water.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Georgius Agricola

In this way every week, if the work is for six days, thirty-six centumpondia of cakes are made and three centumpondia of alloy, in all of which there is often almost twenty-four librae of silver.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Georgius Agricola

From time to time small pieces of sulphur, enveloped in or mixed with wax, are dropped into six librae of the molten copper, and consumed; the sulphur weighs half an uncia and a sicilicus.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Georgius Agricola

The second contains two librae of vitriol, one of saltpetre, and as much spring or river water by weight as will pass away whilst the vitriol is being reduced to powder by the fire.

From De Re Metallica, Translated from the First Latin Edition of 1556 by Georgius Agricola

How do we know what libras or bitcoins are worth, or whether they’re worth anything?

From The New Yorker ● Jul. 29, 2019

Each bar is six hundred and forty libras.

From The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 19 of 55 1620-1621 Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century. by James Alexander Robertson

On the said day, April six, of the said year, three quintals of ore from the same hole and veins were incorporated with three libras of quicksilver and compounded with salt.

From The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 20 of 55 1621-1624 Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century. by Emma Helen Blair

Two bastards, casting Mexican—one of twenty-seven calibers, and the other choke-bored—of twenty-four calibers, caliber ten libras.

From The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 14 of 55 1606-1609 Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of The Catholic Missions, As Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century by Emma Helen Blair

Memorandum of All the Artillery in the Fortifications of Manila, June 20, 1607 Fort of Santiago One half-culverin, old casting of Manila, choke-bored, caliber fourteen libras, twenty calibers in length.

From The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 14 of 55 1606-1609 Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of The Catholic Missions, As Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century by Emma Helen Blair

It was sighted at a point two degrees W. of a Librae at an angle of 431/2° with the horizon, and had been photographed, its elements calculated, its spectrum taken.

From The Lord of the Sea by M. P. (Matthew Phipps) Shiel