denarius
Americannoun
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denarii
plural
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a silver coin and monetary unit of ancient Rome, first issued in the latter part of the 3rd century b.c., that fluctuated in value and sometimes appeared as a bronze coin.
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a gold coin of ancient Rome equal to 25 silver denarii; aureus.
noun
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a silver coin of ancient Rome, often called a penny in translation
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a gold coin worth 25 silver denarii
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of denarius
First recorded in 1565–85; from Latin dēnārius, originally an adjective: “containing ten (asses)”; see origin at denary
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.
See Examples For:
"I found two Roman brooches, then a Julius Caesar silver denarius dating from 46-47BC," he said.
From BBC ● May 21, 2022
By 280 A.D., a denarius was 98 percent copper, with a thin silver wash on the surface.
From New York Times ● Apr. 30, 2015
The denarius, after all, had a human face.
From The Guardian ● May 22, 2012
In Augustus’s time, a silver coin called a denarius was in use throughout the empire.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2012
Rabbi Chanena said, "If four hundred years after the destruction of the Temple one offers thee a field worth a thousand denarii for one denarius, don't buy it."
From Hebraic Literature; Translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and Kabbala by Various
The denarii date from the late Roman Republic to the reign of Marcus Aurelius and his wife Faustina and were found at Barton Bendish, Norfolk.
From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2025
The denarii, believed to have been placed in the ground in about AD 69 to 70, were found in Gobowen, Shropshire.
From BBC ● Jan. 11, 2022
"In terms of spending value, a Roman legionary soldier was paid 300 denarii a year - so these coins represent no more than two to three days' legionary pay."
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2019
But under the emperor Nero, starting in 64 A.D., the proportion of silver was reduced to 80 percent and the state made a tidy profit by recycling the all-silver denarii into debased ones.
From New York Times ● May 14, 2018
“You’ve paid for the VIP treatment. Won’t you please let me finish the tour? The three denarii entrance fee is nonrefundable, you know.”
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
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.
