greenback
Americannoun
noun
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informal an inconvertible legal-tender US currency note originally issued during the Civil War in 1862
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slang a dollar bill
Etymology
Origin of greenback
Explanation
A greenback is a dollar bill. Grab some greenbacks, I hear the ice cream truck coming down our street! The slang term greenback is a little old-fashioned, but it's a perfectly good way to say "buck" or "dollar." You might ask the barista at your neighborhood cafe, "How many greenbacks do I owe you?" or tell your mom you need to borrow some greenbacks and you'll pay her back next week. The word has been used since U.S. money was first printed using green ink, in 1778.
Vocabulary lists containing greenback
Chapter 17: The Civil War
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"Money"
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Chapter 4, Sections 1–4
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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.
In theory, that could leave plenty of room for the greenback to continue higher.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026
But buried in the recent strength of the greenback is a building risk.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026
The U.S. dollar weakened slightly as the greenback fell against most of the major currencies, while holding its ground against the yen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
Earlier this week, the Japanese yen traded near a 40-year low against the greenback.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
They noted the things he carried: “$20 in greenback, two silver dollars, and...a gold watch.”
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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.
