currency

noun

cur·ren·cy | \ ˈkər-ən(t)-sē

, ˈkə-rən(t)-\

plural currencies

Definition of currency

1a : 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

2a : 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 Example Sentences Learn More about currency

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Synonyms for currency

Synonyms

bread [slang], bucks, cabbage [slang], cash, change, chips, coin, dough, gold, green, jack [slang], kale [slang], legal tender, lolly [British], long green [slang], loot, lucre, money, moola (or moolah) [slang], needful, pelf, scratch [slang], shekels (also sheqels), tender, wampum

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 social media giant is developing a stablecoin — a type of digital currency pegged to the U.S. dollar — to minimize volatility. — Recode Staff, Recode, "Recode Daily: Wealth managers and charities are looking forward to an IPO-rich 2019," 21 Dec. 2018 Con Edison in New York has also warned customers about threats demanding money in the form of the untraceable electronic currency Bitcoin. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "Scary Utility Scams Are Spreading Across the Country," 16 Nov. 2018 The re-imposition of sanctions (with more to come) has already started hitting the country’s economy, and its currency has fallen by 50 percent in value compared to the dollar over the last 12 months. — Ian Bremmer, Time, "The World Cup’s Biggest Winners and Losers So Far—Both On and Off the Field," 29 June 2018 Authorities allege a man used $20,000 of the virtual currency Bitcoin to buy drugs from producers in China and Hong Kong, which were shipped in 53 separate parcels. — John Keilman, chicagotribune.com, "'Like finding a needle in a haystack': Agents trying to stop deadly opioid fentanyl from entering U.S. in tough battle," 12 June 2018 Physical currency requires a vast infrastructure to produce, distribute, and protect it. — Town & Country, "Is This the End of Cash?," 28 Jan. 2019 The currency mix-up can sort of be rationalized by the fact that Malaysia and the Philippines have banknotes in similar shades of blue. — Christopher Bagley, Condé Nast Traveler, "Sailing the South China Sea Is the Best Way to See Southeast Asia," 15 Nov. 2018 In 1997, Malaysian prime minister Mahathir bin Mohamad blamed southeast Asia’s currency crisis on Soros. — Jameelah Nasheed, Teen Vogue, "After Years of George Soros Conspiracy Theories, Someone Targeted His Home with an Explosive Device," 23 Oct. 2018 Much like the moon (your planetary ruler) currency always waxes and wanes, so its best to find peace with its flow. — Aliza Kelly Faragher, Allure, "What August's Cancer Horoscope Means for You," 30 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'currency.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near currency

Statistics for currency

Last Updated

9 Mar 2019

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Time Traveler for currency

The first known use of currency was in 1624

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More Definitions for currency

currency

noun

Financial Definition of currency

What It Is

Currency is a medium of exchange for goods or services within an economy.

How It Works

Currency can be either fiat or tied to an underlying asset. Fiat money has no intrinsic value and is backed by the full faith and credit of the issuing government. That is, this type of currency is not worth very much in terms of its value as a raw material. Most paper money is fiat money, and its value comes from what it represents rather than what it is. Asset-backed currencies tied to gold, silver or other valuable commodities are rare in present day markets.

Why It Matters

Currency serves an important role in an economy, and has three universally accepted economic advantages: it acts as a medium of exchange, a store of value, and a standard of value. Meaning it allows buyers and sellers to quickly arrive at comparative prices instead of The definition of currency on InvestingAnswers haggling over how many of one good is worth compared to an unlimited number of others.

It is important to remember, though, that fiat money is only as good as the organization that issues it. If the entity defaults, the currency is worthless.

Source: Investing Answers

currency

noun