adjective
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of or relating to money or currency
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of or relating to monetarism
a monetary policy
Synonym Usage
See financial.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of monetary
First recorded in 1660–70; from Late Latin monētārius “pertaining to the mint”; see money, -ary
Explanation
If it has to do with money or currency, it’s monetary, like your childhood toy collection that has no monetary value, but you love it nonetheless. The adjective monetary is related to a Latin word that means “mint,” which is not just a refreshing gum or ice cream flavor but, in this case, where money is made. Anything that pertains to money can be described as monetary, like a country whose monetary system consists of metal coins of different denominations or an antiques expert who can tell you the monetary value of the old things in our attic.
Vocabulary lists containing monetary
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "M"
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Franklin D. Roosevelt's First Inaugural Address (March 4, 1933), List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Expectations of tighter monetary policy, combined with underwhelming results from Broadcom last week, raised questions over the pace of the sector's rally and prompted investors to take profits," wrote Fiona Cincotta at City Index.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
The predicted tightening of monetary policy comes as rising oil prices have stoked inflation in the bloc, with the eurozone’s economy contracting by 0.2% in the first quarter of 2026.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
The company asked the court to block the county’s actions, and is seeking monetary relief of no less than $250,000.
From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026
Tighter monetary policy was also a factor around the deflating of the dot-com bubble, Perkins notes.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026
The Lucasian chair had been established in 1663, but monetary values had changed little in the intervening period.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
