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penny ante
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noun
Cards. a game of poker in which the ante or basic bet is one cent.
Informal. any business arrangement or transaction involving a trifling or paltry sum of money.
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Origin of penny ante
An Americanism dating back to 1850–55
Words nearby penny ante
Pennsylvania Dutch, Pennsylvanian, Penn, William, penny, penny-a-liner, penny ante, penny arcade, Penny Black, pennyboy, penny candy, pennycress
Other definitions for penny ante (2 of 2)
penny-ante
[ pen-ee-an-tee ]
/ ˈpɛn iˈæn ti /
adjective Informal.
involving a trifling sum of money; small in amount: a penny-ante investment.
inconsiderable; minor; small-time.
Origin of penny-ante
An Americanism dating back to 1930–35
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023