lira

American  

[leer-uh, lee-rah] / ˈlɪər ə, ˈli rɑ /

noun

• lire,
  plural
• liras
  plural

1. a coin and monetary unit of Italy until the euro was adopted, equal to 100 centesimi. L., Lit.

2. a monetary unit of Malta, San Marino, and the Vatican City until the euro was adopted.

3. a silver, bronze, or chrome steel coin and monetary unit of Turkey, equal to 100 kurus; equal to 100 piasters before 1933; Turkish pound. TL.

---

lira British  

/ ˈlɪərə, ˈliːra /

noun

1. the former standard monetary unit of Italy, San Marino, and the Vatican City, divided into 100 centesimi; replaced by the euro in 2002

2. Also called: pound. the standard monetary unit of Turkey, divided into 100 kuruş

3. the former standard monetary unit of Malta, divided into 100 cents or 1000 mils; replaced by the euro in 2008

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• liras
  plural
• lire
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of lira

1610–20; < Italian < Old Provençal lieura < Latin lībra pound

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lira liras lire

Turkey's biggest clubs generate substantial income in euros through Uefa competition while many domestic operating costs remain in Turkish lira.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

Elsewhere, Turkey has drawn down about 60 metric tons from its reserves since the conflict began — about $8 billion worth of gold — to defend the lira, she said.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 4, 2026

“The Venezuelan bolivar lost 99.8% in the last 10 years against the U.S. dollar, the Turkish lira lost 80%, the Argentina peso around 94.5%,” said Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino at a recent crypto conference.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 10, 2026

The Turkish lira, meanwhile, has slumped to a new record low against the dollar this week, going for 31 lira for $1.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 22, 2024

I paid him when it was over and tipped him half a lira.

From "A Farewell To Arms" by Ernest Hemingway

Hatzigeorgiou says he often finds bags and backpacks with Turkish liras or packets of medicine in Turkish discarded around the village by people on the move.

From Reuters ● Aug. 25, 2023

"If he stays it will be 100 liras."

From BBC ● May 4, 2023

The head of the Turkish Banks Association, Alpaslan Cakar, told Turkish broadcaster Haberturk late Monday that 1 billion U.S. dollars had already been converted to liras after Erdogan’s announcement.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 21, 2021

“The rent has gone up from 1,500 liras to almost 2,500 liras since last year. I don’t know where this is all going.”

From New York Times ● Nov. 30, 2021

After speaking to his companions, the priest replied that they could pay only ten liras altogether, as they had no more in their possession.

From Martyred Armenia by Fà'iz El-Ghusein

He said the Turkish government would offer families 10,000 Turkish lire, or around $530.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 9, 2023

“I told them my asking price was 1 million lire, thinking that would put a stop to the whole thing,” Lollobrigida told Vanity Fair in 2015.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 16, 2023

The cash introduction saw the new euro notes and coins quickly replace German marks, French francs and Italian lire in ATMs, cash registers, and wallets and purses.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 31, 2021

A place the size of her home rents for about 400 lire a month.

From New York Times ● Jul. 4, 2012

I gave the porter and the machine-gunner ten lire apiece.

From "A Farewell To Arms" by Ernest Hemingway

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---