currency

noun

cur·​ren·​cy ˈkər-ən(t)-sē 

ˈkə-rən(t)-

plural currencies

1

a

: circulation as a medium of exchange

b

: general use, acceptance, or prevalence

a story gaining currency

c

: the quality or state of being current : currentness

needed to check the accuracy and currency of the information

2

a

: something (such as coins, treasury notes, and banknotes) that is in circulation as a medium of exchange

b

: paper money in circulation

c

: a common article for bartering

Furs were once used as currency.

d

: a medium of verbal or intellectual expression

… neither side possessed any currency but clichés …

—Jan Struther

Synonyms of currency

• cash
• money
• coin

Examples of currency in a Sentence

A new currency has been introduced in the foreign exchange market.

They were paid in U.S. currency.

Furs were once traded as currency.

The word has not yet won widespread currency.

I'm not sure about the accuracy and currency of their information.

Recent Examples on the Web

The sale, which still needs to be approved by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, would include personal belongings, currency, kitchen items, and décor; in addition to being put on the auction block, the items in question would go on a four-city global tour. —Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 23 June 2026

Banks, investment firms, insurance companies, regulators and even currencies themselves exist because people collectively believe promises will be kept. —David Henkin, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

According to the sheriff's office, Major Crimes Detectives responded to the scene to collect evidence, which included several sheets of counterfeit currency. —Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 23 June 2026

The company claims its models can match or outperform frontier labs using up to 100 times fewer tokens, which are the currency for running AI queries. —Samantha Subin, CNBC, 23 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

curr(ent) entry 1 + -ency

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing currency

• fractional currency
• hard currency

Rhymes for currency

• concurrency
• eurocurrency

Kids Definition

currency

noun

cur·​ren·​cy ˈkər-ən-sē 

ˈkə-rən-

plural currencies

1

: common use or acceptance

2

: money in circulation