Bradbury
Bradbury (noun) means (historical, British) A one-pound or ten-shilling banknote issued in the United Kingdom during the First World War, named after the Treasury official whose signature appeared on it. Example: “The museum displayed a crisp, uncirculated Bradbury from 1915.”
How to use Bradbury
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMostly known today as a surname (famously the author Ray Bradbury); the old wartime banknote sense is a historical curiosity.
Word forms
- Plural
- Bradburys
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The museum displayed a crisp, uncirculated _____ from 1915.
Etymology
The banknote sense comes from Sir John Bradbury, the Treasury official whose signature featured on the wartime notes; the surname itself derives from Old English words meaning "broad fortified place."