lira

[ leer-uh; Italian lee-rah ]

noun,plural li·re [leer-ey; Italian lee-re], /ˈlɪər eɪ; Italian ˈli rɛ/, li·ras.
  1. a coin and monetary unit of Italy until the euro was adopted, equal to 100 centesimi. Abbreviation: L., Lit.

  2. a monetary unit of Malta, San Marino, and the Vatican City until the euro was adopted.

  1. a silver, bronze, or chrome steel coin and monetary unit of Turkey, equal to 100 kurus; equal to 100 piasters before 1933; Turkish pound. Abbreviation: TL.

Origin of lira

1
1610–20; <Italian <Old Provençal lieura<Latin lībra pound

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How to use lira in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lira

lira

/ (ˈlɪərə, Italian ˈliːra) /


nounplural lire (ˈlɪərɪ, Italian ˈliːre) or liras
  1. the former standard monetary unit of Italy, San Marino, and the Vatican City, divided into 100 centesimi; replaced by the euro in 2002

  2. Also called: pound the standard monetary unit of Turkey, divided into 100 kuruş

  1. the former standard monetary unit of Malta, divided into 100 cents or 1000 mils; replaced by the euro in 2008

Origin of lira

1
Italian, from Latin lībra pound

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