lira

1 of 4

noun (1)

li·​ra ˈlir-ə How to pronounce lira (audio)
ˈlē-rə
plural lire ˈlē-(ˌ)rā How to pronounce lira (audio) also liras
: the basic monetary unit of Italy until 2002

lira

2 of 4

noun (2)

plural liras
the basic monetary unit of Turkey see Money Table

lira

3 of 4

noun (3)

plural liroth or lirot ˈlē-ˌrōt How to pronounce lira (audio)
-ˌrōth
: the former Israeli pound

lira

4 of 4

noun (4)

plural liri ˈlē-(ˌ)rē How to pronounce lira (audio)
: the basic monetary unit of Malta until 2008

Examples of lira in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
This has been seen in the current cycle with the Japanese yen and Turkish lira taking a battering while their central banks kept rates low, while the U.S. dollar — as measured against a basket of currencies – soared throughout 2022 as the Fed delivered stringent rate hikes. Jenni Reid, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2024 In the last five years, the Turkish lira has lost nearly 83% of its value against the dollar, and the currency trades at 33 lira to the greenback as of 09:07 a.m. Natasha Turak, CNBC, 17 July 2024 Its lira continues to hit record lows against the greenback. Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 19 June 2024 Dickie puts her in the car and hands the driver a wad of lire. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lira 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lira.' 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

Noun (1)

Italian, from Latin libra, a unit of weight

Noun (2)

Turkish, from Italian

Noun (3)

Modern Hebrew, from Italian

Noun (4)

Maltese, from Italian

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1617, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1871, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

circa 1946, in the meaning defined above

Noun (4)

circa 1985, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lira was in 1617

Dictionary Entries Near lira

Cite this Entry

“Lira.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lira. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

lira

noun
li·​ra
ˈlir-ə
1
plural lire
ˈlē-ˌrā
also liras : the basic unit of money of Italy until 2002
2
plural liras : the basic unit of money of Turkey
3
: a coin or bill representing one lira

More from Merriam-Webster on lira

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