penny

[ pen-ee ]

/ ˈpɛn i /

noun, plural pen·nies, (especially collectively for 3, 4) pence.

a copper and zinc U.S. coin, worth one 100th of the U.S. dollar; one cent. Previous compositions of U.S. pennies included certain percentages of nickel and steel.

a coin worth one 100th of the dollar of various other nations, although several of these nations, as Australia and New Zealand, no longer use pennies.

Also called new penny . a copper-plated steel, formerly bronze, coin of the United Kingdom, one 100th of a pound. Abbreviation: p

a former bronze coin and monetary unit of the United Kingdom and various other nations, one 12th 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, as eightpenny and sixtypenny.

adjective

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

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Idioms for penny

a bad penny, someone or something undesirable.

a pretty penny, Informal. a considerable sum of money: Their car must have cost them a pretty penny.

spend a penny, Chiefly British Slang. to urinate.

turn an honest penny, to earn one's living honestly; make money by fair means: He's never turned an honest penny in his life.

Origin of penny

First recorded before 900; Middle English peni, Old English penig, pænig, pen(n)ning, pending, cognate with Old Frisian penning, panning, Old Saxon, Dutch penning, Old High German pfenning, phantinc, phenting (German Pfennig ), Old Norse penningr (perhaps from Old English ); from unattested West Germanic or Germanic pandingaz, probably equivalent to unattested pand- + unattested -ingaz; see -ing³. The origin of spend a penny is from the former cost of using a public lavatory

OTHER WORDS FROM penny

pen·nied, adjectiveun·pen·nied, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH penny

penne, penny

Words nearby penny

Pennsauken, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Dutch, Pennsylvanian, Penn, William, penny, penny-a-liner, penny ante, penny arcade, Penny Black, pennyboy

Definition for penny (2 of 2)

Penny

[ pen-ee ]

/ ˈpɛn i /

noun

a female given name, form of Penelope.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for penny

They deserve every penny and more: booking a four week tour is a huge job.
How Much Money Does a Band Really Make on Tour?|Jack Conte|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Every single witness is inadmissible, hearsay, triple-hearsay,” said assistant state attorney Penny Brill in court yesterday.
Did Pablo Escobar Frame a Millionaire for Murdering Banana-Shipping Money Launderers?|Jacqui Goddard|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
While there I am, getting mad at my wife for sending me cards all the time because I know she needs every penny right now.
Deep Thoughts from War Machine's Sexist, Racist Prison Blog|Melissa Leon|August 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Then the director, Penny Marshall, encouraged him to drop some of the literal behavior and put more of himself into the character.
The Stacks: Robin Williams, More Than A Shtick Figure|Joe Morgenstern|August 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Maupin assured the publication he had not “spent a penny” in a strip club.
Strippers for Jesus|Olivia Nuzzi|July 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As soon as Welcome could jerk the pin loose, he whirled and stumped furiously back in the direction of Chub and Penny.
Motor Matt's Daring, or, True to His Friends|Stanley R. Matthews
With a smile, and many renewed expressions of thankfulness, the hopeful tradesman paid his penny.
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. III, No. XVII, October 1851|Various
Penny dared not take time to try to convince the youth of the folly of fleeing from Immigration authorities.
Swamp Island|Mildred A. Wirt
"Mr. Sprague touched her hair, and—and lifted one of her hands," Penny contributed quietly.
Murder at Bridge|Anne Austin
He would now, with this expedition on the way, have no penny for another.
The Sleuth of St. James's Square|Melville Davisson Post

British Dictionary definitions for penny

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 penny

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)

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