penny

1 of 2

noun

pen·​ny ˈpe-nē 

plural pennies ˈpe-nēz  or pence ˈpen(t)s 

often attributive

1

a

: 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

see also:

pinch pennies

-penny

2 of 2

adjective combining form

: being a (designated) nail size

an eightpenny nail

Examples of penny in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Despite The Beatles’ phenomenal success, the Fab Four saw little of the cash their hard work generated at the height of Beatlemania – Forbes reported that their initial record deal provided them with less than a penny per album sold. — Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2026

Forbes reported that the group’s record contract paid them less than a penny for each album sold. — Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2026

However, getting behind the wheel of this fancy flagship will cost you a pretty penny—160,000 pennies, to be exact. — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026

Elon Musk spent at least $445 million in a gambit to help Republicans keep control of Congress, an amount roughly equivalent to someone on a $100,000 annual salary saving every penny for 4,450 years. — Jesse Bedayn, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

Noun

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

Phrases Containing penny

• (a) penny for your thoughts
• a penny saved (is a penny earned)
• a pretty penny
• earn/turn an honest penny
• every penny helps/counts
• in for a penny, in for a pound
• not a penny less/more
• not cost a penny
• penny ante
• penny arcade
• penny candy
• penny dreadful
• penny loafer
• penny-pinching
• penny stock
• penny whistle
• penny-wise
• penny-wise and/but pound-foolish
• ten a penny
• the penny drops
• worth every penny

Rhymes for penny

• any
• bennie
• benny
• henny
• jenny
• many
• antennae
• halfpenny
• propene
• sixpenny
• threepenny
• twopenny

Kids Definition

penny

noun

pen·​ny ˈpen-ē 

plural pennies

-ēz

or pence ˈpen(t)s 

1

a

: a British unit of money formerly equal to ¹⁄₂₄₀ pound but now equal to ¹⁄₁₀₀ pound

b

: a coin representing this unit

2

plural pennies : cent

3

: a sum of money

earn an honest penny