piaster

or pi·as·tre

[ pee-as-ter, -ah-ster ]

noun

1. a former coin of Turkey, one 100th of a lira: replaced by the kurus in 1933.
2. a monetary unit of Egypt, Lebanon, Sudan, and Syria, one 100th of a pound.
3. a former monetary unit of South Vietnam: replaced by the dong in 1976.
4. the former peso or dollar of Spain and Spanish America.

Word History and Origins

Origin of piaster¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from French piastre, from Italian piastra “thin sheet of metal, silver coin” (short for piastra d'argento, literally, “plate of silver”), akin to piastro plaster

Example Sentences

Then the two knights had to be removed to a sick-room and infirmary, for they needed a doctor and piaster to cure their wounds.

From Project Gutenberg

Hundreds of accounts and bills have been received, audited and paid, and scarcely any two correspond in piaster equivalents.

From Project Gutenberg

We got down from our horse, went around carelessly, and slipped a cherek (a five piaster piece) into his fingers.

From Project Gutenberg

After thirty-three years of residence, I am still trying to get some idea of what a piaster is.

From Project Gutenberg

All my trouble, all the hard work, and not a piaster, not a piaster!

From Project Gutenberg