Bitcoin

noun

Bit·​coin ˈbit-ˌkȯin How to pronounce Bitcoin (audio)
variants or less commonly bitcoin
: a digital currency created for use in peer-to-peer online transactions
Introduced in 2008 by a person or group using the name Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin is the most prominent of a group of virtual currencies—money that exists mainly as computer code—that have no central issuing authority.Carter Dougherty
Bitcoin … is backed by no government and has a fluctuating value linked in part to a scarcity that is mathematically predetermined.Glenn Zorpette
The venture capital industry is beginning to take a good, hard look at a new financial instrument coming out of the bitcoin community—Initial Coin Offerings, or ICOs.Richard Kastelein
also, usually bitcoin : a unit of this currency
Commercial space venture Virgin Galactic—which announced on Nov. 22 that it would start accepting bitcoins to reserve a refundable $250,000 seat on a future trip—is just the latest of many businesses that have recently embraced the decentralized virtual payment system. (At press time, 1 bitcoin was worth roughly $879.) Time

Examples of Bitcoin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Wearing a blue suit and socks emblazoned with the Bitcoin logo, Mr. Salame stood facing Judge Lewis A. Kaplan as the sentence was read aloud in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. David Yaffe-Bellany, New York Times, 28 May 2024 Why Apple stock isn't growing aggressively Why Tesla stock might not be a buy What's next for Boeing? Is Bitcoin a good speculative investment? Quartz, 28 May 2024 The initial class of 11 Bitcoin ETFs was among the most successful of all time, with BlackRock and Fidelity’s offerings leading the charge. Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 28 May 2024 Business Column: Bitcoin, dogecoin, NFTs, GameStop — is this the peak of investment absurdity? Christie D’zurilla, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2024 In recent months, he’s been waxing poetic a lot — particularly on crypto-friendly podcasts; Katta is evidently a big Bitcoin fan — about the problems with modern devices. David Pierce, The Verge, 23 May 2024 Its Bitcoin mining operation going into 2024 is independently certified as 100% renewable and the company is also pursuing a carbon-negative strategy. Charlotte Observer, 13 May 2024 Kiyosaki advocates buying during the dip, emphasizing his optimistic outlook on Bitcoin’s future potential and resilience, despite the prevailing market instability. Detroit Free Press, 4 May 2024 As of 30 April 2024, the Company held digital assets worth the equivalent of 12 Bitcoin. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 May 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

2008, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Bitcoin was in 2008

Dictionary Entries Near Bitcoin

Cite this Entry

“Bitcoin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Bitcoin. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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