assignat

American  

[as-ig-nat, a-see-nya] / ˈæs ɪgˌnæt, a siˈnja /

noun

French History.

• assignats
  plural

1. one of the notes issued as paper currency from 1789 to 1796 by the revolutionary government on the security of confiscated lands.

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assignat British  

/ ˌæsɪˈnjɑː, asiɲa, ˈæsɪɡˌnæt /

noun

1. French history the paper money issued by the Constituent Assembly in 1789, backed by the confiscated land of the Church and the émigrés

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• assignats
  plural

Etymology

Origin of assignat

1780–90; < French < Latin assignātus assigned (past participle of assignāre ). See assign, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

assignat assignats

Mr. Albertus is right that the French Revolution was a “turning point in human history,” not merely the event that gave us the assignat.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025

In order to prevent inflation, revolutionary officials promised to retire the assignat from circulation and burn the notes once they were used to buy property, but this commitment was not always honored, prompting public mistrust.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2023

To stimulate purchases, the government began issuing a paper currency called assignat.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2023

From failing insurrections in Paris and the establishment of a new regime known as the Directory, the key drivers of the assignat were on their way out.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2023

I looked up, and, straight before me, saw the same officer who had given me the assignat the night before.

From Maurice Tiernay Soldier of Fortune by Charles James Lever

Unlike assignats, Bitcoins have no backing at all.

From Time ● Apr. 12, 2013

But the Government liked having extra money and didn’t cancel the assignats as the property was sold.

From Time ● Apr. 12, 2013

If the French Government had issued only enough assignats for that property, there would have been plenty of assignats to spend until the property was disposed of.

From Time ● Apr. 12, 2013

When, at last, after a seven-month’s passage, he reached France, the assignats had fallen into such utter depreciation, that he found the 8,000,000 of francs he had remitted home dwindled down to 220,000. 

From The Thistle and the Cedar of Lebanon by Habeeb Risk Allah

The fear of losing the meat, led him to starve himself; yet, at the very moment, he had 800 assignats, of 200 dollars each, in a silken bag, around his neck!

From Curiosities of Human Nature by Anonymous