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.
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Nearby words
penalty stroke, penance, penang, penannular, penates, pence, pencel, penchant, penchi, penché, pencil
Origin of pence
1275–1325; Middle English pens, pans
Related forms
pence·less, adjectiveDefinition 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
Related forms
pen·nied, adjectiveun·pen·nied, adjectiveCan be confused
penne pennyDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for pence
British Dictionary definitions for pence (1 of 2)
usage
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)
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)
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.