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

The retailer said customers were increasingly ordering foreign currency online and collecting it in store.

From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026

The yen was likely to weaken further despite its extreme undervaluation, Goldman Sachs analysts said as they cut forecasts for the currency.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026

China has long imposed strict foreign exchange controls on its citizens in order to maintain regulatory sovereignty and stabilise the valuation of its currency, the yuan.

From Barron's • Jul. 3, 2026

In Japan, the yen rose to a two-week high against the dollar after Japan’s finance minister delivered a fresh warning about potential interventions to support the currency.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026

They never knew about the two-room flats and sleeping rooms he rented, the weekly money orders sent home, the currency exchange.

From "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros

Related Words

• cash