bitcoin
Americannoun
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Often Bitcoin the first widely established cryptocurrency, which uses state-of-the-art cryptography, can be issued in any fractional denomination, and has a decentralized distribution system.
Increasing numbers of stores and online businesses accept Bitcoin.
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a single unit of bitcoin, the first widely established cryptocurrency.
The value of a bitcoin has sometimes surpassed the value of an ounce of gold.
Usage
What's the difference between bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and digital currency? See digital currency ( def. ).
Etymology
Origin of bitcoin
First recorded in 2005–10; bit 3 ( def. ) + coin
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Strategy has resumed stocking up on bitcoin after a brief pause, and the company’s outspoken CEO has no qualms about saying who’s paying for it — the company’s shareholders.
From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026
He also sang about how Strategy was using the equity market “with pride” as an ATM to pay for the company’s bitcoin purchases.
From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026
A significant portion of the electricity it generates is used to mine bitcoin.
From Salon • May 10, 2026
That’s what happened in late 1999 and early 2000 with internet stocks and in 2021 with bitcoin, when proponents lashed out at skeptics—right before prices collapsed.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
The atmosphere marked a shift from last year’s party vibe, when President Trump’s embrace of crypto sent bitcoin prices to new highs.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
