bitcoin
Americannoun
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Often Bitcoin the first widely established cryptocurrency, which uses state-of-the-art cryptography, can be issued in any fractional denomination, and has a decentralized distribution system.
Increasing numbers of stores and online businesses accept Bitcoin.
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a single unit of bitcoin, the first widely established cryptocurrency.
The value of a bitcoin has sometimes surpassed the value of an ounce of gold.
Usage
What's the difference between bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and digital currency? See digital currency ( def. ).
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of bitcoin
First recorded in 2005–10; bit 3 ( def. ) + coin
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
AOL’s holding company goes public, the World Cup boosts prediction markets, and Eric Trump loses more than $600 million on Bitcoin.
From Slate • Jul. 11, 2026
Bitcoin was trading at about $46,000 when almost a dozen funds launched on Jan. 11, 2024.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 10, 2026
Prospera in Honduras, Peter Thiel's Seasteading Institute, and Tim Draper's Draper Nation, a fully digital country with Bitcoin as its currency, are all chasing the same idea.
From BBC • Jul. 10, 2026
Bitcoin edged up 0.4% in recent afternoon trading Monday, but had been down as much as 3.6% after the disclosure of the sale was made, according to FactSet data.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 6, 2026
Strategy, the Bitcoin holding company, said it had an $8.32 billion loss on digital assets in its second quarter.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
