peso

[pey-soh, pe-saw]

noun

plural

pesos 

1. a coin and monetary unit of Chile, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Mexico, and the Philippines, equal to 100 centavos.

2. a coin and monetary unit of Uruguay, equal to 100 centesimos.

3. a former monetary unit of Argentina, equal to 100 centavos: replaced by the austral in 1985.

4. a former silver coin of Spain and Spanish America, equal to eight reals; dollar; piece of eight; piaster.

peso

/ ˈpeso, ˈpeɪsəʊ /

noun

1. the standard monetary unit, comprising 100 centavos, of Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and the Philippines; formerly also of Guinea-Bissau, where it was replaced by the CFA franc

2. the standard monetary unit of Uruguay, divided into 100 centesimos

3. another name for piece of eight

Word History and Origins

Origin of peso¹

< Spanish: literally, weight < Latin pēnsum something weighed, noun use of neuter of pēnsus, past participle of pendere to weigh

Word History and Origins

Origin of peso¹

C16: from Spanish: weight, from Latin pēnsum something weighed out, from pendere to weigh

Example Sentences

The peso is “probably 10%-20% overvalued,” he estimates.

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Argentine stocks and sovereign bonds surged and the peso strengthened against the dollar after weeks of volatility over concerns about Milei’s ability to overhaul the economy and fight inflation, a crucial issue for voters.

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But in the real economy, the anemic peso remains a threat to Argentine stability, investment and growth.

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In the weeks leading up to the vote, Argentines got a taste of what possibly lay in store as investors dumped pesos for dollars over Milei's array of political and financial woes.

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The Argentine peso rose around 9% against the U.S. dollar, on track for the biggest move in more than two decades, according to Dow Jones Market Data.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal