penny

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A small coin worth one hundredth of a pound or, in the US, one cent.

   She found a shiny penny on the pavement.

2. 2
   noun

   Money in general (informal).

   He saved every penny to buy his first car.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Penny is an Old English word related to Dutch penning and German Pfennig, although the Germanic word’s ultimate origin is unknown. The English coin was originally made of silver and later of copper.

From Middle English peny, from Old English peniġ, penniġ, penning (“penny”), from Proto-West Germanic *panning, from Proto-Germanic *panningaz, of uncertain origin (see that page for theories). Doublet of pfennig and fening.

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External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary