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penny

noun, often attributive
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pen·​ny | \ ˈpe-nē How to pronounce penny (audio) \
plural pennies\ ˈpe-​nēz How to pronounce pennies (audio) \ or pence\ ˈpen(t)s How to pronounce pence (audio) \

Definition of penny

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a monetary unit of the United Kingdom formerly equal to ¹/₂₄₀ pound but now equal to ¹/₁₀₀ pound
b : a similar monetary unit of any of various other countries in or formerly in the Commonwealth of Nations — see pound at Money Table
c : a coin representing one penny
2 : denarius
3 plural pennies : cent
4 : a former monetary unit equal to ¹/₁₀₀ Irish pound
5 : a trivial amount
6 : a piece or sum of money that will cost a pretty penny

-penny

adjective combining form

Definition of -penny (Entry 2 of 2)

: being a (designated) nail size an eightpenny nail

Examples of penny in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Every penny of your donation goes to help those who need it most. — Steve Rubenstein, SFChronicle.com, "Antioch family battling cancer, dementia and housing woes amid job loss finds help," 7 Aug. 2020 During Presta’s tenure, Crestwood settled lingering legal actions over how previous penny-pinching officials repeatedly and secretly put toxic water into the village water system. — Joe Mahr, chicagotribune.com, "South suburban mayor charged in red-light camera bribery scheme," 7 Aug. 2020 Each penny costs about 2 cents to produce, according to a 2019 report by the mint. — Jenny Gross New York Times, Star Tribune, "Will the penny survive coronavirus?," 29 July 2020 Charlotte returns to the bunker and finds a penny attached to a red string. — Ashley Chervinski, refinery29.com, "R29 Binge Club: Netflix’s Dark Final Season Recap," 28 June 2020 For a country with $804 billion in fiscal debt, every penny counts. — Ananya Bhattacharya, Quartz India, "A new study shows Trump’s anti-immigration policies will end up hurting the US," 8 June 2020 Storms could bring winds up to 60 mph and penny-sized hail causing damage to roofs, siding and trees, forecasters said. — Lydia Gerike, The Indianapolis Star, "What to expect overnight after storms leave +26,000 without power in Indianapolis area," 11 July 2020 These penny dreadfuls often follow the same basic structure. — Matt Ford, The New Republic, "Fear of a Forever-Trump Administration," 9 July 2020 The Giants added four players to their roster pool Saturday, including a top, young third-base prospect and a shortstop who cost them a pretty penny last year. — Henry Schulman, SFChronicle.com, "Giants’ Logan Webb impresses Buster Posey with ‘electric’ stuff," 4 July 2020

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

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First Known Use of penny

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for penny

Noun

Middle English, from Old English penning, penig; akin to Old High German pfenning, a coin

Adjective combining form

penny; perhaps from the original price per hundred

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Time Traveler for penny

Time Traveler

The first known use of penny was before the 12th century

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Statistics for penny

Last Updated

14 Aug 2020

Cite this Entry

“Penny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penny. Accessed 22 Aug. 2020.

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More Definitions for penny

penny

noun
How to pronounce -penny (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of penny

: a coin or a unit of money equal to ¹/₁₀₀ of a dollar
: a coin or a unit of money equal to ¹/₁₀₀ of a British pound
: a British coin used before 1971 that was equal to ¹/₁₂ of a shilling

See the full definition for penny in the English Language Learners Dictionary

penny

noun
pen·​ny | \ ˈpe-nē How to pronounce penny (audio) \
plural pennies\ ˈpe-​nēz \

Kids Definition of penny

1 : cent
2 or plural pence\ ˈpens \ : a coin of the United Kingdom equal to ¹/₁₀₀ pound

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More from Merriam-Webster on penny

Spanish Central: Translation of penny

Nglish: Translation of penny for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of penny for Arabic Speakers

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