drachma

American  

[drak-muh, drahk-] / ˈdræk mə, ˈdrɑk- /

noun

• drachmas,
  plural
• drachmae
  plural

1. a cupronickel coin and monetary unit of modern Greece until the euro was adopted, equal to 100 lepta. dr., drch.

2. the principal silver coin of ancient Greece.

3. a small unit of weight in ancient Greece, approximately equivalent to the U.S. and British apothecaries' dram.

4. any of various modern weights, especially a dram.

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drachma British  

/ ˈdrækmə /

noun

1. the former standard monetary unit of Greece, divided into 100 lepta; replaced by the euro in 2002

2. another name for dram

3. a silver coin of ancient Greece

4. a unit of weight in ancient Greece

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• drachmal
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• drachmae
  plural
• drachmas
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of drachma

1520–30; < Latin < Greek drachmḗ, probably equivalent to drach- base of drássesthai to grasp + -mē noun suffix (hence literally, handful)

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Explanation

In Greece, the drachma was once the national currency. The Greek drachma was replaced by the euro in 2002. The drachma has a long history in Greece, going all the way back to 800 BC. The word derives from a Greek root meaning "to grasp" or "a handful," and the ancient drachma was originally a handful or fistfull of metal sticks used to buy and trade. The modern version of this currency was a variety of metal coins in various denominations. The drachma was retired officially in 2002 and replaced with the euro.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

drachma drachmae drachmas

The word evolved to drachma, the name of Greece’s currency before the euro.

From Economist ● Dec. 13, 2017

The Greeks were mining for silver to make their beautiful drachma coins.

From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2015

My two drachma on Plan B leak, his reaction.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 27, 2015

"But there are reasons to think that reintroduction of the drachma and devaluation would do less for Greece than devaluation did for Argentina. Greece is less open, it exports less," he said.

From Reuters ● Jul. 22, 2015

One golden drachma gleamed at the bottom of the fountain.

From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan

I'd say, 'I need 20 million drachmae by next Wednesday.'

From Time Magazine Archive

He knew how to drag drachmae from a hot-blooded old woman.

From The Eleven Comedies, Volume 2 by Aristophanes

Take back, take back your viands; for a thousand drachmae I would not give a drop of peace; but who are you, pray?

From The Eleven Comedies, Volume 1 by Aristophanes

Give me two drachmae, or it's no deal.

From The Eleven Comedies, Volume 2 by Aristophanes

Any who were not prepared to sail at once might, by paying down the sum of fifty Corinthian drachmae, have a share in the colony without leaving Corinth.

From The History of the Peloponnesian War by Richard Crawley

Shylock, a comic villain as well as a suffering father, wept copiously after his daughter ran away from home with suitcases full of jewels and drachmas.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2016

His high-end wines, gathered from vineyards that stretch across his country’s verdant hills, would be more competitive abroad if his costs at home were in weak drachmas.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 2, 2015

So if you are a local producer, you just get a whole lot more drachmas for your product, but you are paying your workers less.

From Economist ● May 17, 2012

Owing euros to depositors, and getting devalued drachmas, or lira, or escudos or pesetas from borrowers is one way to make capital vanish.

From New York Times ● Oct. 6, 2011

I poured some golden drachmas in the pouch.

From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan

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