sou
noun
(formerly) either of two bronze coins of France, equal to 5 centimes and 10 centimes.
sou
1 American
[soo]
/ su /
noun
-
sous
plural
-
(formerly) either of two bronze coins of France, equal to 5 centimes and 10 centimes.
-
sol.
sou.
2
American
abbreviation
-
south.
-
southern.
sou
British
/ suː /
noun
-
a former French coin of low denomination
-
a very small amount of money
I haven't a sou to my name
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of sou
1810–20; < French; Old French sol sol 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“Eu não sou médica,” she told me in Portuguese, our shared language.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 26, 2021
But his estate was wiped out in the Great Depression, and as a result, I had what I consider the ideal upbringing: We were a proud family, good citizens, and we didn't have a sou.
From Inc ● Sep. 25, 2012
"I've just lost my last sou," she said a little huskily, "how does Your Highness always, always win?"
From Time Magazine Archive
Mm. les Senateurs promptly and emphatically rejected the bill, announcing that the society never had the slightest right to suppose that the French Government would pay one sou toward their building.
From Time Magazine Archive
“Wouldn’t take a sou less, so help me.”
From "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London
Sonenshein worked as a host, Vahle as a sous chef.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 28, 2026
But now the restaurant is "scrambling to do something to stay afloat" and figure out "what can be done without a gas connection", sous chef Dhruv Thapliyal told AFP.
From Barron's ● Mar. 12, 2026
The centenarian enjoyed her birthday surrounded by friends and family at the home, with a special cake prepared by the sous chef, Kieran Lister.
From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2026
Delpique is known to personally fill in for a sous chef or other nonunion worker, meaning his days can start at 6 a.m. and end close to midnight.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 13, 2025
Neither of them could have made tamales if they’d had an instructional YouTube video and a sous chef at their side.
From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
