pecuniary

[pi-kyoo-nee-er-ee]

adjective

of or relating to money: pecuniary difficulties.

consisting of or given or exacted in money or monetary payments: pecuniary tributes.

(of a crime, violation, etc.) involving a money penalty or fine.

Origin of pecuniary

1495–1505; < Latin pecūniārius, derivative of pecūnia property, money (pecūn-, derivative of pecū flock (see peculiar), with -ūn- as in tribūna tribune¹, fortūna fortune, etc. + -ia -ia); see -ary

Related formspe·cu·ni·ar·i·ly

[pi-kyoo-nee-air-i-lee] /pɪˌkyu niˈɛər ɪ li/, adverbnon·pe·cu·ni·ar·y, adjective

Synonyms for pecuniary

1, 2. See financial.

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

British Dictionary definitions for non-pecuniary

pecuniary

adjective

consisting of or relating to money

law (of an offence) involving a monetary penalty

Derived Formspecuniarily, adverb

Word Origin for pecuniary

C16: from Latin pecūniāris, from pecūnia money

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 non-pecuniary

pecuniary

adj.

c.1500, from Latin pecuniarius "pertaining to money," from pecunia "money, property, wealth," from pecu "cattle, flock," from PIE root *peku- "wealth, movable property, livestock" (cf. Sanskrit pasu- "cattle," Gothic faihu "money, fortune," Old English feoh "cattle, money").

Livestock was the measure of wealth in the ancient world. For a possible parallel sense development in Old English, see fee, and cf., evolving in the other direction, cattle. Cf. also Welsh tlws "jewel," cognate with Irish tlus "cattle," connected via notion of "valuable thing."