agio

American  

[aj-ee-oh] / ˈædʒ iˌoʊ /

noun

agios plural

1. a premium on money in exchange.

2. an allowance for the difference in value of two currencies.

3. an allowance given or taken on bills of exchange from other countries, as to balance exchange expenses.

4. agiotage.

---

agio British  

/ ˈædʒɪəʊ /

noun

1. 1. the difference between the nominal and actual values of a currency

   2. the charge payable for conversion of the less valuable currency

2. a percentage payable for the exchange of one currency into another

3. an allowance granted to compensate for differences in currency values, as on foreign bills of exchange

4. an informal word for agiotage

---

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• agios
  plural

Etymology

Origin of agio

1675–85; < Italian a ( g ) gio exchange, premium, ultimately < Medieval Greek allágion, derivative of Greek allágē literally, change, barter; compare Venetian azo, Medieval Latin lazius

Example Sentences

And will not the agio then, in a way, grow out of itself, a bigger agio appearing, because an agio has already appeared?

From The Value of Money by Anderson, Benjamin M.

The agio, how kept at a medium rate, ib.

From An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Garnier, Germain

In either case, there will be temporary emergencies, when panics arise, when legal tender money gets an agio over any possible substitute.

From The Value of Money by Anderson, Benjamin M.

The question of the agio of the Hamburg banco system belongs rather to the history of banking.

From The History of Currency, 1252 to 1896 by Shaw, William Arthur

All those who have an account in bank, may demand to be paid in ready money, but they cannot require the agio.

From The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Volume VI) by Various