Description of 2 or 4 barrel carb is v, why?

[Charge It!]

I have wondered about this for a long time, so i thought I would ask. When you see someone list or describe their engine, and they list the carb, the number of barrels is always denoted by a "v". As is - the car has a 400 2v, or 318 4v. What does "v" mean. I know it is for barrel, but is there a significance of the letter v instead of b?

[CB]

valves

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

I would guess   Venturi

[1972Rallye]

Venturi...

[hemi68charger]

valves

Here's a picture of a Holley 3-v performance carb. Notice the 4 booster venturies, yet only three valves...

troy

[hemigeno]

I've always heard V=Venturi

[Plumcrazy]

I would guess   Venturi

Correct!

[Ghoste]

It's venturi.   The Holley three holer may have 4 boosters, but it still has 3 principle venturi (venturi's?   venturae?   venturie?).

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Notice the 2 smaller bores & the 1 larger...=3

[71charger_fan]

Remember that Ford piece of crap, the variable venturi? I was watching Motorweek a long time ago and someone wrote in as to what they could do with a troublesome VV carb on their Ford. Pat Goss took a Ford VV carb and threw it in the trash can for effect and held up an aftermarket carb and told the audience to buy one of those instead.

[Ghoste]

The variable venturi goers into the Lean Burn Hall of Fame.  It was a good idea that didn't work in real life.  You have to at least give Ford credit for trying.  There are a lot of those aren't there?  Caddy 8-6-4 comes to mind for some reason.
Isn't the Predator a variable venturi?