birr

¹ American  

[bur] / bɜr /

noun

1. force; energy; vigor.

2. emphasis in statement, speech, etc.

3. a whirring sound.

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verb (used without object)

1. to move with or make a whirring sound.

birr ² American  

[beer] / bɪər /

noun

1. a paper money, silver coin, and monetary unit of Ethiopia, equal to 100 cents: replaced the Ethiopian dollar in 1976.

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birr ¹ British  

/ bɜː /

verb

1. to make or cause to make a whirring sound

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noun

1. a whirring sound

2. force, as of wind

3. vigour; energy

birr ² British  

/ bɜː /

noun

1. the standard monetary unit of Ethiopia, divided into 100 cents

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• birr
  plural

Etymology

Origin of birr

1275–1325; Middle English bire, bur, Old English byre strong wind; cognate with Icelandic byrr favorable wind; akin to bear ¹

Example Sentences

But as the telecoms sector has opened up, the country is embracing mobile phone digital payments in birr, the local currency.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

His bail was set at 60,000 Ethiopian birr, about $1,170, according to his lawyer.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 1, 2022

She said she was not told why she was detained, paid 3,000 birr to a policeman and was released five days later.

From Reuters • Jul. 15, 2021

He added that citizens who receive remittances are “expected to convert their foreign currency into birr right away.”

From Slate • Dec. 23, 2019

Then Meysie bustled about her work and cleaned up with prodigious birr and clatter, being utterly unable to hear the noise she made.

From Bog-Myrtle and Peat Tales Chiefly of Galloway Gathered from the Years 1889 to 1895 by Crockett, S. R. (Samuel Rutherford)

Related Words

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