dollar

noun

dol·​lar ˈdä-lər How to pronounce dollar (audio)
often attributive
1
: taler
2
: any of numerous coins patterned after the taler (such as a Spanish peso)
3
a
: any of various basic monetary units (as in the U.S. and Canada) see Money Table
b
: a coin, note, or token representing one dollar
4
5
: money obtained from a specific source
the tourism dollar

Did you know?

In the mountains of Bohemia is the small town of Jáchymov. In the early 16th century, the town was known by its German name, Sankt Joachimstal. At that time, a silver mine was opened nearby, and coins were minted to which the name joachimstaler was applied. In German this was shortened to Taler. Shortly afterward the Dutch or Low German form daler was borrowed into English to refer to the Taler and other coins that were patterned after it, such as the Spanish peso, which circulated widely in Britain’s North American colonies. Our modern word dollar is a different spelling of this daler. When the newly independent American colonies settled on an official monetary unit in 1785, they chose the name dollar.

Examples of dollar in a Sentence

She had to pay hundreds of dollars in auto repairs. She put a wrinkled dollar down on the counter. The dollar dropped sharply against the pound. the strength of the dollar The dollar is worth more in Mexico.
Recent Examples on the Web Construction of the multimillion dollar facility is led by the Monahan Company and Architect StudioAI. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2024 In every state that subsidizes movie producers, including Michigan, members of both parties gladly waste taxpayer dollars with no discernible public benefit. James M. Hohman, National Review, 6 Mar. 2024 While lawmakers propose to invest $10 million in the new AI institute, that’s a fraction of the tens of billions of dollars tech giants like Google and Microsoft are pouring into the race to develop artificial intelligence. Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 At that point, interest rates will skyrocket and consumers and businesses that have been relying on debt to cope with the Fed’s dollar destruction will find the piper at their doors, demanding to be paid. Ron Paul, Orange County Register, 5 Mar. 2024 The cost—potentially hundreds of millions of dollars—is significant. David Axe, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 The Louis Vuitton and Dior-owner plans to foray into the entertainment industry worth billions of dollars in a venture called 22 Montaigne Entertainment, a nod to the address of LVMH’s Paris headquarters. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 23 Feb. 2024 Being able to look at a policy like eliminating the state income tax, which will put thousands of dollars back into Hoosiers' pockets every year and also make Indiana more competitive with other states. Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 23 Feb. 2024 If parks wants features at Smale beyond what the federal budget covers, however, officials will need to find new local dollars, Barron said. The Enquirer, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dollar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Dutch or Low German daler, from German Taler, short for Joachimstaler, from Sankt Joachimsthal, Bohemia, where talers were first made

First Known Use

1553, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dollar was in 1553

Dictionary Entries Near dollar

Cite this Entry

“Dollar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dollar. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dollar

noun
dol·​lar ˈdäl-ər How to pronounce dollar (audio)
1
: a coin (as a Spanish peso) similar to an earlier German silver coin
2
a
: a basic unit of money (as of the U.S. and Canada)
b
: a coin or bill representing one dollar
Etymology

from Dutch daler "silver coin formerly used in Germany," from German Taler (same meaning), shortened from Joachimstaler "a coin made in Sankt Joachimsthal (Saint Joachim's Valley) in Bohemia (a former kingdom in Europe)"

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