dirham

noun

dir·​ham ˈdir-həm 

1

: the basic monetary unit of Morocco and United Arab Emirates see Money Table

2

: a monetary subunit of the dinar (Libya) and riyal (Qatar) see dinar, riyal at Money Table

Examples of dirham in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The country’s non-oil exports hit an all-time high of 453 billion dirhams ($123 billion) in the first six months of the year, the UAE’s foreign trade minister said at the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. — Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2026

The Arab coins, known as dirhams, are cut up and have similar inscriptions to those found in silver hoards from the 9th century, Nordjyske Museer said. — Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026

In this find, the dirhams were cut into smaller pieces and used as a means of payment, with their value linked to the weight and fineness of the silver. — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2026

But the flow of dirhams and riyals doesn’t stop there. — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Arabic, from Latin drachma drachma

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined at sense 1