bimetallism

[ bahy-met-l-iz-uh m ]

/ baɪˈmɛt lˌɪz əm /

noun

the use of two metals, ordinarily gold and silver, at a fixed relative value, as the monetary standard.

the doctrine or policies supporting such a standard.

Nearby words

bimester, bimestrial, bimetal, bimetallic, bimetallic strip, bimetallism, bimillenary, bimillennium, bimini islands, biminis, bimodal

Origin of bimetallism

First recorded in 1875–80; bi-¹ + metal + -ism

Related forms

bi·met·al·list, nounbi·met·al·lis·tic, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for bimetallism

He practised law in Cincinnati, and then in Pomeroy until 1885, when he gave up law for the advancement of bimetallism.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 7|Various
Mr. Wolcott, did not you say bimetallism in the United States meant repudiation?
One Thousand Secrets of Wise and Rich Men Revealed|C. A. Bogardus
A general or universal system of bimetallism would involve no machinery, no international accounts, no detail whatever.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips
I thought he'd like a talk about bimetallism, so I sweated it up a bit, and started off with a burst as soon as I got a look in.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 104, February 11, 1893|Various

I did not wish to subject the writer of “Bimetallism Simplified” to this castigation, but he would have it so.
The Arena|Various

British Dictionary definitions for bimetallism

bimetallism

/ (baɪˈmɛtəˌlɪzəm) /

noun

the use of two metals, esp gold and silver, in fixed relative values as the standard of value and currency

the economic policies or doctrine supporting a bimetallic standard

Derived Forms

bimetallist, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012