Stone, Pounds, and Kilos: Understanding British Weight

If you watch British boxing or talk to someone from the UK about their weight, you'll hear the term "Stone." It is a unit of mass that confuses almost everyone else in the world.

The Magic Number: 14

One Stone is equal to exactly 14 pounds. It is part of the Imperial system but is now used almost exclusively in the UK and Ireland for body weight.

Why 14?

In medieval times, commodities like wool were weighed in stones. The value fluctuated (sometimes 8 lbs, sometimes 16 lbs), but under King Edward III in the 14th century, it was standardized to 14 pounds to make it easier to weigh a "sack" of wool, which was defined as 26 stone.

Quick Conversions

If someone says they are "10 stone":

• 10 x 14 = 140 lbs
• 140 / 2.2 = approx 63.5 kg