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.
Major cryptocurrency prices fell early Monday, with Bitcoin down 3% to $65,805, amid U.S. trade tariff uncertainty.
From Barron's
Market uncertainty has weighed on digital assets, with Bitcoin tumbling 25% since early 2026.
From Barron's
Robinhood External link, a digital asset brokerage, was down 1.3% in premarket trading, while Strategy External link —the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin—edged lower by 1.7%.
From Barron's
Since the start of 2026, Bitcoin has tumbled 25%.
From Barron's
—Bitcoin fell along with other cryptocurrencies as uncertainty over U.S. tariffs reduces appetite for risky assets.
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.
