peso

noun pe·so \ ˈpā-(ˌ)sō , ˈpe- \

Updated on: 16 Apr 2018

Definition of peso

plural pesos

1 : an old silver coin of Spain and Spanish America equal to eight reales

2 the basic monetary unit of Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Phlippines, and Uruguay — see Money Table

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Recent Examples of peso from the Web

Most days, Vázquez makes between 700 and 800 pesos, or about $40 — not a lot, but enough.

— brittny mejia, www.latimes.com, "They came to L.A. from Mexico for a better life. Now some are finding it — back in Mexico," 6 Apr. 2018
At the same time, investors grew more optimistic that the U.S. could reach a deal with Canada and Mexico over the North American Free Trade Agreement, bolstering the Canadian dollar and the Mexican peso.

— sam goldfarb, WSJ, "Dollar Gains Against Yen as Riskier Assets Rebound," 4 Apr. 2018
Both the Mexican peso and the Canadian dollar trimmed losses on reports of the discussions.

— Bloomberg.com, "Five Things You Need to Know to Start Your Day," 3 Apr. 2018
Handy previously told the Express-News that the political climate and Mexican peso’s devaluation were contributing factors in the downturn.

— joshua fechter, San Antonio Express-News, "San Antonio airport traffic soars to record in January as international travel spikes," 7 Mar. 2018
The peso is vulnerable to political uncertainty stemming from Mexico’s presidential vote, slated for July.

— ira iosebashvili, WSJ, "Why the Canadian Dollar and Mexican Peso Have Diverged Recently," 21 Mar. 2018
However, the San Antonio airport began seeing positive trends in international travel toward the end of the year that officials expect to continue as the peso regains value.

— joshua fechter, San Antonio Express-News, "San Antonio airport traffic soars to record in January as international travel spikes," 7 Mar. 2018
That compares to Anaya’s vow to reach 190 pesos by the end of his six-year term, also adjusted for inflation.

— nacha cattan, Bloomberg.com, "Mexico's Pro-Business Candidate Wants to Double Minimum Wage," 21 Feb. 2018
The peso is down 1.4% against the dollar last week, after climbing 6.1% from the beginning of the year until Feb. 23.

— ira iosebashvili, WSJ, "Trump’s Tariff Plans Spook Emerging-Market Investors," 4 Mar. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of peso

Spanish, literally, weight, from Latin pensum — more at poise

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1555

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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PESO Defined for English Language Learners

peso

noun

Definition of peso for English Language Learners

: the basic unit of money of several Latin-American countries and the Philippines; also : a coin or bill representing one peso

PESO Defined for Kids

peso

noun pe·so \ ˈpā-sō \

Definition of peso for Students

plural pesos

1 : a bill or coin used in one of several Spanish-speaking countries of North and South America

2 : a bill or coin used in the Philippines

Learn More about peso

Spanish Central: Translation of peso Nglish: Translation of peso for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of peso for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about peso

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peso

Definition of peso

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Origin and Etymology of peso

PESO Defined for English Language Learners

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Definition of peso for English Language Learners

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peso

Definition of peso for Students

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