coupon

The word “coupon” means a printed or digital voucher that gives the holder a discount on a purchase. In plain terms, a voucher for a discount, or (in finance) the interest paid periodically on a bond.

“Coupon” is pronounced KOO-pon (/ˈkuːˌpɑn/ in IPA).

Here is “coupon” used in a sentence: “She clipped a coupon for 20% off her grocery bill.”

“Coupon” is a noun.

The word “coupon” comes from French. From French coupon, from couper meaning "to cut" — coupons were originally literal slips cut off a larger sheet or certificate.

“Coupon” is an uncommon word in modern English.

“Coupon” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a printed or digital voucher that gives the holder a discount on a purchase.

A coupon is often the general term for any voucher, printed or digital, that reduces the price of a purchase, while a discount code (or promo code) is typically the specific string of letters and numbers entered at online checkout. In everyday use the two overlap heavily, but "coupon" is more likely to refer to a physical clipping or printable, and "code" to an online-only entry.

In finance, a coupon is the regular interest payment a bond issuer owes to the bondholder, expressed as a percentage of the bond's face value. The term dates back to when bonds had physical certificates with detachable slips, or coupons, that the holder tore off and redeemed for each interest payment.

The coupon rate is the fixed percentage of a bond's face value that determines the size of its regular interest payments. For example, a bond with a face value of $1,000 and a 5% coupon rate pays $50 per year in interest, regardless of the bond's current market price.

No, coupon is a noun in standard English and is not used as a verb. To describe using coupons habitually, English speakers say someone "couponing" or "is a couponer," which functions more like a gerund or informal label than a true verb form.