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.

Words nearby lira

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