lira

[ leer-uh; Italian lee-rah ]

/ ˈlɪər ə; Italian ˈli rɑ /

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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.

QUIZ

TAKE JOY IN ACING THIS QUIZ ON “PRIDE” SYNONYMS

Hold your head up high as you embark on this quiz that explores some of the synonyms and meanings of “pride.”

Question 1 of 7

What does "dignity" mean?

showing self-respect

treating others with kindness

acting selfishly

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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. 2022

How to use lira in a sentence

He also reported that he happened to see that “cases full of brand new Italian Lire were being unpacked.”
On the Trail of Nazi Counterfeiters|Dr. Kevin C. Ruffner|September 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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
Mother darling, give me a hundred lire For I want to be off to the States.
Castellinaria|Henry Festing Jones
A hundred thousand lire reward to anyone who will bring me a man and a woman who are truly faithful, absolutely faithful!'
The conquest of Rome|Matilde Serao

Today before I left the Embassy, my successor arrived, and to him I handed all the lire that were left, and papers and so forth.
Polly the Pagan|Isabel Anderson
I darted in, threw down a lire, and picked up two rolls of bread worth about twopence each, also some fruit worth about as much.
From the Thames to the Tiber|J. Wardle
A gondola costs something less than a livre (lire) an hour, or for a superior looking craft seven or eight livres a day.
Italian Highways and Byways from a Motor Car|Francis Miltoun

British Dictionary definitions for lira

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