centavo

1 of 2

noun (1)

cen·​ta·​vo sen-ˈtä-(ˌ)vō 

plural centavos

: a monetary subunit of the boliviano, córdoba, lempira, peso (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Mexico), quetzal, and sucre see boliviano, córdoba, lempira, peso, quetzal at Money Table

centavo

2 of 2

noun (2)

cen·​ta·​vo sen-ˈtä-(ˌ)vü 

-(ˌ)vō

plural centavos

1

: a former monetary unit equal to ¹/₁₀₀ Portuguese escudo

2

: a monetary subunit of the escudo, metical, and real see escudo, metical at Money Table

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Spanish, literally, hundredth, from ciento hundred, from Latin centum

Noun (2)

Portuguese, from Spanish

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1857, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

centavo

noun

cen·​ta·​vo

sen-ˈtäv-ō

plural centavos

1

: a unit of value equal to ¹⁄₁₀₀ part of any of several basic units of money (as the Mexican peso)

2

: a coin representing one centavo