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.

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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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• liras
  plural
• lire
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of lira

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

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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 Japanese yen is not the Indian rupee or Turkish lira, where a long-term inflation risk premium means that another record low against the U.S. dollar is probably just a matter of time,” Callow said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 29, 2026

The volatility of the lira creates foreign-exchange risk.

From Barron's ● Dec. 24, 2025

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

"Now, one kilogram of onion is 30 liras," he said.

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

A loaf of bread still sells at 2.5 liras, or about 20 cents, but bakeries are complaining that their costs are closer to 4 liras a loaf, he said.

From New York Times ● Nov. 30, 2021

For the present year, the tithes on vakouf lands have been farmed for 1,676 Turkish liras in the districts of Famagousta, Kyrenia, Papho, and Limasol.

From Cyprus, as I Saw It in 1879 by Sir Samuel White Baker

When she was summoned to the Cinecitta studios, the hub of Italian cinema, she was offered 1,000 lire to sign.

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

During one production, said Sheridan Hill, a writer preparing a personal biography of Mr. Lazar for his family, U.S. actors in Italy were concerned about the currency and didn’t want to be paid in lire.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 9, 2016

“There I was, like, ‘This is Italian lire.

From New York Times ● Oct. 13, 2014

“Twelve lire for ten. It’s not worth it. My wife lost twenty lire.”

From "A Farewell To Arms" by Ernest Hemingway

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