pence

[ pens ]

/ pɛns /

noun British.

a plural of penny; used in referring to a sum of money rather than to the coins themselves (often used in combination): sixpence; The fare was 15 pence.

Words nearby pence

penalty stroke, penance, penang, penannular, penates, pence, pencel, penchant, penchi, penché, pencil

Origin of pence

1275–1325; Middle English pens, pans

OTHER WORDS FROM pence

pence·less, adjective

Definition for pence (2 of 2)

penny

[ pen-ee ]

/ ˈpɛn i /

noun, plural pen·nies, (especially collectively for 2, 3) pence.

a bronze coin, the 100th part of the dollars of various nations, as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States; one cent.

Also called new penny. a bronze coin and monetary unit of the United Kingdom and various other nations, the 100th part of a pound. Abbreviation: p

a former bronze coin and monetary unit of the United Kingdom and various other nations, the 12th part of a shilling: use phased out in 1971. Abbreviation: d.

a sum of money: He spent every penny he ever earned.

the length of a nail in terms of certain standard designations from twopenny to sixtypenny.

adjective

Stock Exchange. of, relating to, or being penny stock: frenzied speculation in the penny market.

Origin of penny

before 900; Middle English peni, Old English penig, pænig, pen(n)ing, pending, cognate with Old Frisian penning, panning, Old Saxon, Dutch penning, Old High German pfenning, phantinc, phenting (German Pfennig), Old Norse penningr (perhaps < OE); < West Germanic or Germanic *pandingaz, probably equivalent to *pand- pawn² + *-ingaz -ing³

OTHER WORDS FROM penny

pen·nied, adjectiveun·pen·nied, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH penny

penne penny

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Examples from the Web for pence

But Pence, who was slated to keynote this conference in just a few minutes?
Mike Pence, Dark Horse in Training for 2016|David Freedlander|June 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Much of the praise of Pence is in this vein—he will not embarrass us.
Mike Pence, Dark Horse in Training for 2016|David Freedlander|June 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Pence told the crowd, however, that he had only first come to New York 13 years ago, at the age of 40, when he was a congressman.
Mike Pence, Dark Horse in Training for 2016|David Freedlander|June 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Pence, with his thick mane of hair and thick build, looks great on a flier.
Mike Pence, Dark Horse in Training for 2016|David Freedlander|June 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Republicans, she said, are approaching the Pence camp to have another look.
Mike Pence, Dark Horse in Training for 2016|David Freedlander|June 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Pence shivered, in spite of the rum, at the thought of again having to face his tempter.
The Solitary Farm|Fergus Hume
Since 1898 there has been an upward movement of exchange, the average rate for 1905 having been very nearly 16 pence.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 4|Various
Pence, in his simplicity, could not think that any man could ask another to kill a third in cold blood.
The Solitary Farm|Fergus Hume
"St. Richard's Pence" afterwards became a fruitful source of income.
The Cathedrals of Great Britain|P. H. Ditchfield
Nikolai would like to have taken tickets for the whole thing; but the pence he had about him were only enough for the garden.
One of Life's Slaves|Jonas Lauritz Idemil Lie

British Dictionary definitions for pence (1 of 2)

pence

/ (pɛns) /

noun

a plural of penny

usage for pence

Since the decimalization of British currency and the introduction of the abbreviation p, as in 10p, 85p, etc, the abbreviation has tended to replace pence in speech, as in 4p (ˌfɔːˈpiː), 12p (ˌtwɛlvˈpiː), etc

British Dictionary definitions for pence (2 of 2)

penny

/ (ˈpɛnɪ) /

noun plural pennies or pence (pɛns)

Also called (formerly): new penny (in Britain) a bronze coin having a value equal to one hundredth of a poundSymbol: p

(in Britain before 1971) a bronze or copper coin having a value equal to one twelfth of a shilling or one two-hundred-and-fortieth of a poundAbbreviation: d

a former monetary unit of the Republic of Ireland worth one hundredth of a pound

plural pennies (in the US and Canada) a cent

a coin of similar value, as used in several other countries

(used with a negative) informal, mainly British the least amount of moneyI don't have a penny

a bad penny informal, mainly British an objectionable person or thing (esp in the phrase turn up like a bad penny)

a pretty penny informal a considerable sum of money

spend a penny British informal to urinate

the penny dropped informal, mainly British the explanation of something was finally realized

two a penny plentiful but of little value

Word Origin for penny

Old English penig, pening; related to Old Saxon penni (n) g, Old High German pfeni (n) c, German Pfennig

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

Idioms and Phrases with pence

penny

In addition to the idioms beginning with penny

penny for your thoughts, a
penny pincher
penny saved is a penny earned, a
penny wise and pound foolish

also see:

in for a penny, in for a pound
pinch pennies
pretty penny
turn up (like a bad penny)

pence

noun British.

Words related to pence

Words nearby pence

Origin of pence

OTHER WORDS FROM pence

Definition for pence (2 of 2)

noun, plural pen·nies, (especially collectively for 2, 3) pence.

adjective

Origin of penny

OTHER WORDS FROM penny

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH penny

Examples from the Web for pence

British Dictionary definitions for pence (1 of 2)

noun

usage for pence

British Dictionary definitions for pence (2 of 2)

noun plural pennies or pence (pɛns)

Word Origin for penny

Idioms and Phrases with pence