currency

American  

[kur-uhn-see, kuhr-] / ˈkɜr ən si, ˈkʌr- /

noun

• currencies
  plural

1. something that is used as a medium of exchange; money.

2. general acceptance; prevalence; vogue.

3. a time or period during which something is widely accepted and circulated.

4. the fact or quality of being widely accepted and circulated from person to person.

5. circulation, as of coin.

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currency British  

/ ˈkʌrənsɪ /

noun

1. a metal or paper medium of exchange that is in current use in a particular country

2. general acceptance or circulation; prevalence

   the currency of ideas

3. the period of time during which something is valid, accepted, or in force

4. the act of being passed from person to person

5. (formerly) the local medium of exchange, esp in the colonies, as distinct from sterling

6. slang

   1. (formerly) the native-born Australians, as distinct from the British immigrants

   2. ( as modifier )

      a currency lad

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currency Cultural  

1. Any form of money in actual use as a medium of exchange.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• currencies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of currency

From the Medieval Latin word currentia, dating back to 1650–60. See current, -ency

Explanation

Currency is the paper and coin money that a country uses to conduct business. The United States uses a currency that's made up of dollars, quarters, nickels, dimes, and pennies. Just about every country has its own currency — the money its people use to pay for their groceries, clothes, and other goods. Paper currency in the United States is all green and can confuse people who use bills with different colors for different denominations. In addition to describing a country's monetary system, currency means something that is accepted or used. The slang word "daddy-o" was the currency in the 1950s, but people who say it today can expect to receive strange looks.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

currency currencies

In the day since Mr. Trump’s announcement, the value of Iran’s currency has fallen significantly, exceeding 1.9 million rials to the dollar.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

The dollar the world's primary reserve currency, meaning it is held by central banks around the world in large quantities as part of their foreign exchange reserves.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

The US's position as the world's largest economy and the dollar being the world's reserve currency gives the US a "much longer runway to fiscally misbehave" than other countries, El-Erian says.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

Klarna fell 23% after the buy-now-pay-later company cut its 2026 revenue forecast below Wall Street estimates, citing softer consumer spending in Germany and currency headwinds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

He unlocked the top drawer and removed a tall stack of currency, enough to buy a village or two.

From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson

A weaker dollar makes gold more attractive to investors holding other currencies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

They are where investors and governments like to park extra cash, for example, to defend their currencies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

The dollar fell to a 10-week low against a basket of currencies after U.S. data—including weak jobs and retail sales figures—prompted markets to further trim bets on U.S. rate rises.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

The dollar has been relatively stable in 2026, its broad index against other major currencies having risen 1.6% so far this year.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

He dug into a pocket and brought out a handful of coins of at least three different currencies.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Related Words

• cash