shekel

noun

SHEK-uhl/ˈʃɛkəl/

Pluralshekels, shekalim

3 meanings of shekel

1
nouncountable
The unit of money used in Israel, both today and in ancient times.
Like the dollar in America or the pound in Britain.
A loaf of bread cost just a few shekels at the market.
She handed the driver one shekel for the short ride.
Note
2
nounslangcountable
Money, especially cash you earn or spend.
Like calling money 'bucks' when you talk to friends.
He's raking in the shekels with his new business.
I don't have a shekel to spare this week.
Similarbuck, penny
Note
3
nounhistoricalcountable
An old unit of weight, used long ago, equal to one-fiftieth of a larger unit called a mina.
Like an ounce or a pound, but used thousands of years ago.
The trader weighed out ten shekels of silver on his scale.
And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;
1769, Benjamin Blayney (Ed.), King James Bible (Genesis 24:22)Here, shekel means an old unit of weight used for gold.
Note

Practice

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Origin

It comes from Hebrew, from a word meaning "to weigh."