guinea

noun

guin·​ea ˈgi-nē 

1

: an English gold coin issued from 1663 to 1813 and fixed in 1717 at 21 shillings

2

: a unit of value equal to one pound and one shilling

Examples of guinea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Many grasses, such as the buffel, molasses and guinea types that fueled the Hawaii fires — as well as fountain and feather grasses -- are considered highly flammable. —Jessica Damiano, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Aug. 2023

Fifty guineas per cent was charged, and this rapidly rose to sixty, but later dropped to twenty-five on news that the Titanic was being towed to Halifax. —Times Staff, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2023

In the Sahel-Sudan (south of the Sahara), pearl millet—which originates from an area that includes Mali and Mauritania—and guinea corn (sorghum) are the traditional staple ingredients for food, drinks (kunu), and beer (burukutu and pito). —Uwagbale Edward-Ekpu, Quartz, 2 Sep. 2022

Alexander cited the guinea worm eradication effort as a highlight. —Bill Barrow, ajc, 1 Oct. 2022

Another rare misprint, a Charles II guinea that misspells his Latin name, is worth around £1,500 ($1,725). —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Sep. 2022

Additional excavation yielded more skeletal remains and items including pewter and brass buttons and a King George III gold guinea, which would have been a soldier's pay for a month. —CBS News, 2 Aug. 2022

After refusing to get vaccinated because starting 90 years ago, Black men were egregiously used as guinea men in a heinous experiment at Tuskegee University to determine the effect of syphilis on them while failing to treat them. —Roy S. Johnson | [e-mail], al, 25 July 2021

In 1795, Britain imposed an annual tax of one guinea on the right to apply fragrant powders to smelly wigs. —Daniel Akst, WSJ, 4 Apr. 2021

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Word History

Etymology

Guinea, Africa, supposed source of the gold from which it was made

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

guinea

noun

guin·​ea ˈgin-ē 

1

: an English gold coin no longer issued worth 21 shillings

2

: a former unit of value equal to 21 shillings

Geographical Definition

Guinea

geographical name

Guin·​ea ˈgi-nē 

variants or French Guinée

gē-ˈnā 

1

region of western Africa bordering on the Atlantic from Gambia (on the north) to Angola (on the south)

2

or formerly French Guinea republic in western Africa bordering on the Atlantic; formerly a territory of French West Africa; capital Conakry area 94,926 square miles (245,857 square kilometers), population 11,855,000

Guinean

ˈgi-nē-ən 

adjective or noun