birr

¹ American  

[bur] / bɜr /

noun

1. force; energy; vigor.

2. emphasis in statement, speech, etc.

3. a whirring sound.

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verb (used without object)

1. to move with or make a whirring sound.

birr ² American  

[beer] / bɪər /

noun

birr plural

1. a paper money, silver coin, and monetary unit of Ethiopia, equal to 100 cents: replaced the Ethiopian dollar in 1976.

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birr ¹ British  

/ bɜː /

verb

1. to make or cause to make a whirring sound

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noun

1. a whirring sound

2. force, as of wind

3. vigour; energy

birr ² British  

/ bɜː /

noun

1. the standard monetary unit of Ethiopia, divided into 100 cents

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• birr
  plural

Etymology

Origin of birr

1275–1325; Middle English bire, bur, Old English byre strong wind; cognate with Icelandic byrr favorable wind; akin to bear ¹

Example Sentences

The birr was this week trading at 90 to $1 on the black market, compared to 53 in banks.

From Reuters • Oct. 15, 2022

His bail was set at 60,000 Ethiopian birr, about $1,170, according to his lawyer.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 1, 2022

While Tigist is referring to the official rate available in banks, the birr has fallen even further in the informal market, Mr Roble says, and has now reached 67 birr against the dollar.

From BBC • Aug. 29, 2021

He added that citizens who receive remittances are “expected to convert their foreign currency into birr right away.”

From Slate • Dec. 23, 2019

There was nae soond but the wag-at-the-wa' tick-tickin', like an artifeecial cricket with the busiest, conthiest birr, an' my wairs gaun clickaty-click, when I heard a cheep, cheep.

From A Practical Novelist by Davidson, John

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