monetary

adjective

mon·​e·​tary ˈmä-nə-ˌter-ē 

also ˈmə-

: of or relating to money or to the mechanisms by which it is supplied to and circulates in the economy

a crime committed for monetary gain

a government's monetary policy

monetarily

ˌmä-nə-ˈter-ə-lē 

also ˌmə-

adverb

Synonyms of monetary

• financial
• economic
• fiscal

Examples of monetary in a Sentence

a crime committed for monetary gain

Gold was once the basis of the U.S. monetary system.

Recent Examples on the Web

The administration argued that the fee constituted a monetary penalty that the president had lawful authority to impose under federal immigration ​law to restrict ​the entry of ⁠certain foreign nationals. —Reuters, NBC news, 8 June 2026

The legislation would only allow an audit of the limited records the Supreme Judicial Court outlined in its recent order – the adoption of the official budget by both chambers, expenditures, joint legislative operations, and monetary settlement agreements, all dating back to 2021. —Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 8 June 2026

Investors priced in a greater probability of tighter monetary policy, giving up on the prospect of additional rate cuts anytime soon. —Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 June 2026

Fiscal discipline and monetary institutions that preserve the long-run stability of the dollar can reduce some of the burden placed on price indices by limiting large swings in the value of money. —James Broughel, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin monetarius of a mint, of money, from Latin moneta

First Known Use

1663, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing monetary

• monetary aggregate
• monetary unit

Rhymes for monetary

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• apiary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• bacillary
• beriberi
• bestiary
• breviary
• budgetary

Kids Definition

monetary

adjective

mon·​e·​tary ˈmän-ə-ˌter-ē 

also ˈmən-

: of or relating to money

this administration's monetary policy