currency

noun

KUR-uhn-see/ˈkʌɹ.ən.si/

Pluralcurrencies

5 meanings of currency

1
nouncountable or uncountable
Money, like coins and bills, that people use to buy and sell things.
Like tickets at a fair that you trade for rides and snacks.
Many countries print their own currency.
Travelers exchange one currency for another at the airport.
Similarmoney, tender
Note
2
noununcountable
Money in the form of paper notes, not coins.
Like the paper tickets you hold instead of metal tokens.
She kept a few notes of foreign currency in her wallet.
The cashier counted the currency before locking the drawer.
Similarbanknotes, notes, bills
Note
3
noununcountable
The state of being widely accepted or used.
Like a song that everyone starts singing because it catches on.
That theory still has currency among younger scientists.
The rumor gained currency after the newspaper repeated it.
Similaracceptance, popularity, circulation, prevalence
Note

Less common meanings

4
nounobsoleteuncountable
How much something is worth in people's general opinion.
Note
5
nounobsoleteuncountable
The ability to speak smoothly and without pausing.
Note

Practice

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Origin

It came from Latin, from the word currō. It can also be seen as 'current' plus '-cy'.