1750–60, after the name Joannes (John V, of Portugal) in the coin's legend. See John
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Write the following names and words properly: "tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday, saturday, saturn;—christ, christian, christmas, christendom, michaelmas, indian, bacchanals;—Easthampton, omega, johannes, aonian, levitical, deuteronomy, european."
From The Grammar of English Grammars by Brown, Goold
The moidore was worth six pieces of eight, the pistole four, the johannes eight.
From Privateering and Piracy in the Colonial Period Illustrative Documents by Jameson, J. Franklin (John Franklin)
A full johannes was called a "half-joe," and a double johannes was called a "joe."
From The Stronghold A Story of Historic Northern Neck of Virginia and Its People by Haynie, Miriam
Of gold pieces there were the johannes, or joe, the doubloon, the moidore, and pistole, with English and French guineas, carolins, ducats, and chequins.
From The Critical Period of American History by Fiske, John
Thou hast swept the pavilion of my niece of its mistress, no less than my purse of its johannes.
From The Water-Witch or, the Skimmer of the Seas by Cooper, James Fenimore
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.
