kwacha

noun

kwa·​cha ˈkwä-chə How to pronounce kwacha (audio)
plural kwachas or kwacha
the basic monetary unit of Malawi and Zambia see Money Table

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The Zambian kwacha is the best performing currency in the world against the US dollar, rallying over 18.5% from Jan. 22 to Sept. 1. Faustine Ngila, Quartz, 1 Sep. 2022 Kardashian West has both majority ownership and creative control of Skims, which ships globally and can be shopped for online in currencies including the Turkmenistani manat and the Malawian kwacha. Christina Binkley, WSJ, 25 Oct. 2021 The doctors are still waiting for a CT scan; the test was delayed because the family couldn’t afford the 900 kwacha ($66) fee, McDonald says, and had to wait several days for a subsidy to be granted by social workers. Oliver Staley, Quartz Africa, 30 Dec. 2019 Under a new executive order that came into effect in March, owners of domestic boreholes are for the first time required to pay a one-off fee of 250 kwacha ($25) to have their well licensed. Danstan Kaunda, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2018 Failure to register a borehole can result in a maximum fine of 30,000 kwacha ($3,000) or imprisonment for up to 12 months, according to the new rules. Danstan Kaunda, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2018 On Monday, the kwacha weakened 1 percent against the dollar, the most globally, to its lowest level in almost six weeks. Paul Wallace, Bloomberg.com, 19 Feb. 2018 See More

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

Word History

Etymology

Bemba or Chichewa (Bantu language of Malawi), literally, it dawns

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kwacha was in 1966

Dictionary Entries Near kwacha

Cite this Entry

“Kwacha.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kwacha. Accessed 25 Mar. 2023.

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