kopeck

American  

[koh-pek] / ˈkoʊ pɛk /

Or kopek,

noun

1. an aluminum-bronze coin of Russia, the Soviet Union, and its successor states, one 100th of a ruble.

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kopeck British  

/ ˈkəʊpɛk /

noun

1. a monetary unit of Russia and Belarus worth one hundredth of a rouble: coins are still used as tokens for coin-operated machinery although the kopeck itself is virtually valueless

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Etymology

Origin of kopeck

First recorded in 1690–1700; from Russian kopéĭka, equivalent to kopʾë “lance, spear” + -ka diminutive suffix; so called from the lance with which the figure on the coin was armed

Example Sentences

Russian 1000-rouble banknotes, 50 and 10 kopeck coins are seen on a table at a private company's office in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia November 6, 2014.

From Reuters • Feb. 24, 2022

Too bad the fellow is actually no official at all — just a dissolute ne’er-do-well and lowly government clerk without a kopeck to his name, who merrily plays along.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 1, 2017

The miser borrows a kopeck from a peasant to give to a beggar.

From New York Times • Oct. 14, 2017

The naïve and yet not-so-naïve peasant still worries about the kopeck he lent the miser.

From New York Times • Oct. 14, 2017

When sufficiently capable he will take a few pupils at a kopeck or so per lesson to help out with the family expenses.

From Great Pianists on Piano Playing Study Talks with Foremost Virtuosos. A Series of Personal Educational Conferences with Renowned Masters of the Keyboard, Presenting the Most Modern Ideas upon the Subjects of Technic, Interpretation, Style and Expression by Cooke, James Francis