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

Visitors can see his name and photograph, as well as the story of how trust became the currency that rebuilt lives. —Jorge A. Plasencia, Miami Herald, 13 Nov. 2025

The country’s investment in Bitcoin comes during an up and down year for the digital currency. —Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 13 Nov. 2025

United States currency will never be the same. —Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 Nov. 2025

New Delhi, in response, provided nearly $4 billion in condition-free assistance through credit lines, currency swaps, and emergency aid. —Muhib Rahman, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025

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