pecuniary

American  

[pi-kyoo-nee-er-ee] / pɪˈkyu niˌɛr i /

adjective

1. of or relating to money.

   pecuniary difficulties.

2. consisting of or given or exacted in money or monetary payments.

   pecuniary tributes.

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

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pecuniary British  

/ pɪˈkjuːnɪərɪ /

adjective

1. consisting of or relating to money

2. law (of an offence) involving a monetary penalty

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Related Words

See financial.

Other Word Forms

• nonpecuniary
  adjective
• pecuniarily
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of pecuniary

First recorded in 1500–10; from Latin pecūniārius, derivative of pecūnia “property, money (wealth in cattle),” derivative of pecū “flock”; see peculiar, fief ( def. )

Explanation

If something has to do with money, it's pecuniary. If your grandfather's antique watch has pecuniary value, it's worth money — you could sell it for cash if you weren't sentimentally attached to keeping it. Pecuniary might seem like a peculiar word for talking about money, but it all adds up when you learn that it was the worth of the cattle, or pecū in Latin, that gave pecuniary its meaning. In Roman times, livestock served as money in making transactions. Some cultures still have economies based on cattle, but most modern societies have a pecuniary system based on, well, money.

Example Sentences

Under federal securities statutes, the SEC can seek civil penalties tied to the “gross amount of pecuniary gain” resulting from a violation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

"ASIC is seeking declarations, pecuniary penalties, and adverse publicity orders against Westpac from the Court."

From Reuters • Sep. 4, 2023

Ms Alemi denies 13 counts of fraud, three of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception, two of forgery and two of using a false instrument.

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2023

These state programs “are unbiased and don’t have a pecuniary interest in your decision making,” Mr. Lipschutz said.

From New York Times • Nov. 5, 2022

They took care to engage the temple priesthood, which was essentially a system of religious corporations with their own pecuniary interests.

From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro