dime

noun

1
a
: a coin of the U.S. worth ¹/₁₀ dollar
b
: a petty sum of money
2
: a Canadian 10-cent piece
3
slang : a packet containing 10 dollars worth of an illicit drug (such as marijuana)

called also dime bag

4
informal : money provided to pay expenses
Executives in a perk-rich environment get used to living on the company's dime [=on the company's money; at the company's expense]James Surowiecki
They hopped a Greyhound, on their own dime, and had such a good time they stayed on …Mark Ribowsky
The boys are worthless, feckless layabouts, living off David's dime.Whitney Pastorek
5
informal
a
basketball : a pass by a player who enables a teammate to make a basket
Harden ended up recording his first triple-double of the season with 44 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. He delivered seven dimes to Capela …Tim MacMahon
often used with drop
Not only was he scoring in the post and grabbing rebounds, he also was dropping dimes [=making passes to enable teammates to score] including a flashy pass to Chance Coyle.Hendrix Magley
b
American football : an accurate pass by a quarterback to a receiver
often used with drop
He spun out of sacks and threw on the run, dropping dimes down the field that few quarterbacks in history could be trusted to deliver.Ryan Kartje
Phrases
a dime a dozen
: so plentiful or commonplace as to be of little esteem or slight value
on a dime
1
: in a very small area
these cars can turn on a dime
2

Examples of dime in a Sentence

the beauty of this deal is that all the extras won't cost you a dime
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.
In the past five or so years, airlines have seen a surge in passengers flying for pleasure who were willing to buy their way into premium economy or business class cabins on their own dime for a little extra comfort during their travels. Zach Wichter, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025 Lockwood says she’s often asked about her ability to toggle literary voice on a dime, ricocheting, like an elementary school PhD candidate, between potty humor and profundity. Eric Olson september 23, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025 Evero used safety Tre’von Moehrig as a nickel corner, a dime linebacker and a box safety, while sending the veteran DB on blitzes. Charlotte Observer, 21 Sep. 2025 Marte Mapu remained the Patriots’ dime linebacker after Elliss was benched. Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 21 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dime

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, tenth part, tithe, from Anglo-French disme, dime, from Latin decima, from feminine of decimus tenth, from decem ten — more at ten

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of dime was in 1786

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dime. Accessed 27 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

dime

noun
: a U.S. coin worth ⅒ dollar
Etymology

Middle English dime "a tenth part," from early French dime (same meaning), derived from Latin decimus "a tenth part," from decem "ten" — related to december, decimal, dozen

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