where does the word "quid " come from ?

Answer 1

Quote from a site:

The word "quid," as I'm sure we all remember from our first-year Latin class, means "what" or "something." Most of us in the U.S. only know the word in the phrase "quid pro quo," meaning "something for something" ("quo" being the ablative case of "quid"), or, to put it in politician-speak, "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours."

"Quid" has been used as slang for "pound" since the late 17th century, but no one really knows why. It may be that "quid" was adopted as a bit of clever slang based on its Latin meaning of "what," perhaps as a shortened form of an oblique slang phrase such as "what one needs" (i.e., money). Or it may be that it comes from a misunderstanding (or humorous spin on) the phrase "quid pro quo" (as in "Here's your quo, where's my quid?"). Personally, I lean toward the second theory, but we may never know for sure.

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Quoted from another site:

Brewster's suggests it comes from 'quid pro quo', an equivalent amount for something, and also suggests that it originally referred to a sovereign.

One upon a time Gaelic-speaking Irishmen in the British Army would refer to "my money" as "mo chuid": "cuid"(pronounced, very roughly, "quid") being an omnibus Gaelic word for "thing", "piece", "possessesion", "collection", "money" (as in this case) - or even "a bout of sexual intercourse"! English soldiers adopted the reference to what they heard as "quid", to mean the pound. (extract from "Semantic Enigmas")

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As for my personal opinion on these two theories, the Gaelic source sounds more likely to me.

Answer 2

The word probably comes from the Latin word "quid" meaning "what", as used in the expression "quid pro quo", which means something given in exchange for something else. It is, after all, given in exchange for a rapidly diminishing supply of other things. There is another possibility that the word may be connected with the name of the Quidhampton Paper Mill, where bank notes were printed, as until recent history pounds were banknotes, not the coins which have become so familiar to us today.

Answer 3

It came into use as a slang word in the 17th century.

Nobody has really come up with a definitive answer with regard to it's origin.

I think the general consensus is that it came from the latin prase

QUID PRO QUO

This translates to "THIS FOR THAT" or "A THING FOR A THING". Basically it's a favour for a favour

That sort of makes sense when applied to money transactions.

Answer 4

could it be latin like 'quid pro quo' which i think means something along the lines of you give to me and i'll give to you, so it refers to an exchange like paying for something and so quid became a slang term for money.

Answer 5

It dates lower back to the Roman invasion of england (ca. fifty 5 BC). whilst the Roman centurions have been procuring land for their villas, they reported to the peasants, 'Quid professional quo,' which extra or less translated skill, 'a pound not for you.'

Answer 6

Actually it has a few meanings but where it comes from?

Answer 7

It's just a slang term for money!!

Answer 8

it is from the english language like "bob" in Ireland

Answer 9

Could it maybe come from the cockney rhyming slang???

Answer 10

sorry i don't have a clue only to say i think it has a Latin connection