paisa

American  

[pahy-sah, pahy-sah] / paɪˈsɑ, ˈpaɪ sɑ /

noun

• paise
  plural

1. Also an aluminum coin and monetary unit, one 100th of the rupee of India, Nepal, and Pakistan.

2. poisha.

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paisa British  

/ ˈpaɪsɑː /

noun

1. a monetary unit of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan worth one hundredth of a rupee

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• paise
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of paisa

First recorded in 1880–85; from Hindi, Bengali paisā, probably from Sanskrit pāda “quarter” + aṃśa “quarter part”; see origin at pada ( def. )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

paisa paise

When they return to the U.S., such people often find themselves ostracized as paisa — country — and must learn the mores of American life, just like those born abroad.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

Viewers emerging from theatres call it "paisa vasool" - a punchy Hindi phrase for "you got your money's worth".

From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2026

Arboleda notes that the mutated reelin protein binds to the same receptors as a protein called APOE, which is also associated with Alzheimer’s disease in people who do not have the paisa mutation.

From Scientific American ● May 17, 2023

At times, it is less than one paisa for large quantities, he said, suggesting the RBI has been fairly active, including on Wednesday.

From Reuters ● Feb. 22, 2023

That women’s wages be increased from one rupee twenty-five paisa a day to three rupees, and men’s from two rupees fifty paisa to four rupees fifty paisa a day.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

For a few paise he sold them golf balls that had been lost or abandoned on the course.

From The New Yorker ● Jun. 3, 2013

Sample: "To make a payment of 36 naye paise, you first pay 4 annas or 25 naye paise, then pay the balance of 11 naye paise by tendering 1 anna and 9 pies."

From Time Magazine Archive

Later, they pitched a tent on the sidewalk and started selling their own coffee at 25 paise a cup.

From Time Magazine Archive

These people walk by a widow deformed by leprosy begging for a few paise, walk by children dressed in rags living in the street, and they think, “Business as usual.”

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

Howsever, it’s too thrue, but me moral strength is wonderful, so you’re heartily welcome, if ye can slaip on a plank floor an’ ait salt-pork an’ paise.

From Digging for Gold Adventures in California by R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne

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