legal tender

noun

: money that is legally valid for the payment of debts and that must be accepted for that purpose when offered

Synonyms of legal tender

• cash
• money
• coin
• currency
• bucks

Examples of legal tender in a Sentence

Soon after France adopted the euro, the French franc ceased to be legal tender.

coins and bills are considered legal tender, but postage stamps are not

Recent Examples on the Web

While the penny remains legal tender, banks and merchants are already reporting shortages. —Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 16 Nov. 2025

Those include El Salvador, which in 2021 became the first country to make Bitcoin legal tender, and the small Himalayan nation of Bhutan, which is one of the world’s largest sovereign holders of the digital currency. —Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 13 Nov. 2025

According to the American Bankers Association, existing pennies remain legal tender, and banks will continue to accept and process them. —Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 12 Nov. 2025

Pennies will still be in circulation and remain legal tender despite the end of their production. —Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 12 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1730, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for legal tender

• recommender
• bartender
• contender
• defender
• engender
• extender
• offender
• pretender
• provender
• surrender
• suspender
• transgender

Kids Definition

legal tender

noun

: money that the law authorizes for paying debts

Legal Definition

legal tender

noun

: money that is legally valid for the payment of debts and that must be accepted for that purpose when offered