dong

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈdȯŋ How to pronounce dong (audio)
ˈdäŋ
usually vulgar
: penis

dong

2 of 2

noun (2)

plural dong
: the basic monetary unit of Vietnam see Money Table

Examples of dong in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
To help counter this, the ministry has proposed raising the fine from 30 million to 100 million Vietnamese dong — roughly $1,150 to around $4,000 — for gender-selective practices. Nick Butler, FOXNews.com, 5 June 2025 Sociologists echo concerns about costs, estimating that raising a child from birth to age 22 costs 10 to 20 million Vietnamese dong ($380 to $760) per month — more than the average monthly income. Nga Pham, NPR, 4 June 2025 The former port city of Hội An leads the way for travelers on a budget, thanks to lower restaurant and bar charges and a considerable drop in the value of the Vietnamese dong. Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 June 2024 Unsold kumquat trees stood beside her, each selling for about 600,000 Vietnamese dong, or $24. Mike Ives, New York Times, 29 Jan. 2025 Leaders have also been in discussions around ditching Vietnam’s version of de minimis, which allows goods valued at less than 1 million dong ($40) to skirt standard duties processes, like paying a VAT. Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 6 Dec. 2024 Amber Ruffin and Alex Edelman Who among us can’t recognize Jon Hamm by his dong? Bethy Squires, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024 There’s only cocktails (250,000 dong) and whiskey, and no menu. Chris Humphrey, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2024 My mother, Pamela, grew up eating at dai pai dongs. Alex Lau, New York Times, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

origin unknown

Noun (2)

Vietnamese đŏng

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1930, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1824, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dong was in 1824

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Cite this Entry

“Dong.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dong. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.

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