lira

[ leer-uh; Italian lee-rah ]

/ ˈlɪər ə; Italian ˈli rɑ /

noun, plural li·re [leer-ey; Italian lee-re] /ˈlɪər eɪ; Italian ˈli rɛ/, li·ras.

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

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

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

Nearby words

liquor up, liquorice, liquorice allsorts, liquorish, lir, lira, lira da braccio, lirella, lirellate, liriodendron, liriope

Origin of lira

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for lire

He and another bidder battled until Nicolo finally won the paintings for 45,000 lire—around $32.
Italian Autoworker Discovers Stolen Masterpieces on His Kitchen Wall|Barbie Latza Nadeau|April 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Aquila Verde would shelter and feed her for six lire a day.
Olive in Italy|Moray Dalton
His servant Mischka filled Liszt's right vest pocket with lire and the other one with soldi every morning.
Franz Liszt|James Huneker
You realize that shillings and francs and lire were made to spend for souvenirs and service, but dollars—ugh!
Amazing Grace|Kate Trimble Sharber

With a Venetian master he would be paid from three to five lire a day; the work would be harder, and the hours later.
Venice|Dorothy Menpes
Afterwards a resolution was carried to give a hundred lire in alms to churches, for prayers to God.
The Story of Siena and San Gimignano|Edmund G. Gardner

British Dictionary definitions for lire

lira

/ (ˈlɪərə, Italian ˈliːra) /

noun plural lire (ˈlɪərɪ, Italian ˈliːre) or liras

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

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

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

Word Origin for lira

Italian, from Latin lībra pound

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for lire

lira

Italian monetary unit, 1610s, from Italian lira, literally "pound," from Latin libra (see Libra).