asper

¹ American  

[as-per] / ˈæs pər /

noun

1. a former silver coin of Turkey and Egypt: later a money of account equal to 1/120 of a piaster.

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asper ² American  

[as-per] / ˈæs pər /

adjective

Obsolete.

1. harsh; rough.

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asper British  

/ ˈæspə /

noun

1. a former Turkish monetary unit, a silver coin, worth 1/ 120 of a piastre

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Etymology

Origin of asper¹

1580–90; < Italian aspero < Medieval Greek áspron literally, white coin, noun use of neuter of áspros white

Origin of asper²

1325–75; < Latin: rough; replacing Middle English aspre < Middle French

Example Sentences

There are more than 1,600 species of bamboo, and BamCore's preferred is Dendrocalamus asper, more commonly known as Giant Clumping bamboo, which they import from South America and Asia.

From BBC • Nov. 20, 2023

However, Ms Chilton says they are in talks with a bamboo plantation owner in Florida who has a Dendrocalamus asper trial ongoing.

From BBC • Nov. 20, 2023

Unless it is a fer-de-lance, or bothrops asper, a nasty pit viper found in Central and South America.

From The Guardian • Jun. 10, 2019

The principal divisions of the Selbornian stage with their characteristic zonal fossils are as follows:— Warminster Beds Pecten asper and Cardiaster fossarius.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 5 "Gassendi, Pierre" to "Geocentric" by Various

Next night he put a lighted candle in each of the branches, when twelve dervishes appeared, and having continued their gyrations for an hour each threw down an asper and vanished.

From Flowers from a Persian Garden and Other Papers by Clouston, William Alexander