monetary

adjective

mon·​e·​tary ˈmä-nə-ˌter-ē 

also ˈmə-

: of or relating to money or to the mechanisms by which it is supplied to and circulates in the economy

a crime committed for monetary gain

a government's monetary policy

monetarily

ˌmä-nə-ˈter-ə-lē 

also ˌmə-

adverb

Synonyms of monetary

• financial
• economic
• fiscal

Examples of monetary in a Sentence

a crime committed for monetary gain

Gold was once the basis of the U.S. monetary system.

Recent Examples on the Web

Abarca’s allegations Both Abarca’s accusations and the federal case against LeVota have to do with Jackson County legislators allegedly receiving monetary offers in exchange for skewing electoral outcomes. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 8 Aug. 2026

Why The Fed’s Next Move Is Complicated The Fed, by statute, has to consider both maintaining stable prices and sustaining maximum employment, all through using tools to influence monetary policy, one of the main ones being interest rates. — Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Japan’s top currency official, Atsushi Mimura, said authorities would respond to foreign-exchange moves in coordination with monetary policy. — Bloomberg, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026

The Texas branch of the NAACP has asked a federal appeals court to consider reversing monetary sanctions levied against attorneys who sued the Keller school board over voter discrimination claims. — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin monetarius of a mint, of money, from Latin moneta

First Known Use

1663, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing monetary

• monetary aggregate
• monetary unit

Rhymes for monetary

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• apiary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• bacillary
• beriberi
• bestiary
• breviary
• budgetary

Kids Definition

monetary

adjective

mon·​e·​tary ˈmän-ə-ˌter-ē 

also ˈmən-

: of or relating to money

this administration's monetary policy