plural drachmas or drachmai
ˈdrak-ˌmī 
or drachmae
ˈdrak-(ˌ)mē
or drachmae
ˈdrak-(ˌ)mē
-ˌmī
1
a
: any of various ancient Greek units of weight
b
: any of various modern units of weight
especially
: dram entry 1 sense 1a
2
a
: an ancient Greek silver coin equivalent to six obols
b
: the basic monetary unit of Greece from circa 1831 to 2001
Examples of drachma in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
From Greece, drachma coins reading Megas-Alexandros, or Alexander the Great, rendered in bronze.
—
Christopher Bonanos, Town & Country, 18 Aug. 2022
Before then, the Greek drachma held its value for six centuries, the Byzantine solidus for more than seven centuries, the Arab dinar for about four centuries, and the Spanish silver dollar for about four centuries.
—Nathan Lewis, Forbes, 10 July 2022
What is more, the very existence of a single currency smothered the market signals that would have come from, say, a separate drachma or lira, market signals that have averted or lessened many disasters in the past.
—Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 26 Mar. 2021
All that was needed to make this happen was to drop a five-drachma coin into a slot in the urn, just as a young lady would do at an underground station to get a box of almonds.
—Vladimir Nabokov, The New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2019
Fears about the euro flared up again in 2015 as the left-wing Syriza party took control of Greece amid rumblings about a return to the drachma.
—Georgi Kantchev, WSJ, 29 May 2018
Would Greece leave the euro and return to the drachma?
—A.e. Stallings, WSJ, 28 July 2017
Thanks to the debt crisis, some Greek officials are contemplating dumping the common currency for the drachma.
—David Wolman, WIRED, 27 Dec. 2011
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Christopher Bonanos, Town & Country, 18 Aug. 2022
Before then, the Greek drachma held its value for six centuries, the Byzantine solidus for more than seven centuries, the Arab dinar for about four centuries, and the Spanish silver dollar for about four centuries.
—Nathan Lewis, Forbes, 10 July 2022
What is more, the very existence of a single currency smothered the market signals that would have come from, say, a separate drachma or lira, market signals that have averted or lessened many disasters in the past.
—Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 26 Mar. 2021
All that was needed to make this happen was to drop a five-drachma coin into a slot in the urn, just as a young lady would do at an underground station to get a box of almonds.
—Vladimir Nabokov, The New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2019
Fears about the euro flared up again in 2015 as the left-wing Syriza party took control of Greece amid rumblings about a return to the drachma.
—Georgi Kantchev, WSJ, 29 May 2018
Would Greece leave the euro and return to the drachma?
—A.e. Stallings, WSJ, 28 July 2017
Thanks to the debt crisis, some Greek officials are contemplating dumping the common currency for the drachma.
—David Wolman, WIRED, 27 Dec. 2011
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'drachma.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Latin, from Greek drachmē — more at dram entry 1
First Known Use
1525, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Dictionary Entries Near drachma
Cite this Entry
“Drachma.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drachma. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on drachma
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about drachma
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