dollar
DOL-uh
Dollar (noun) means the main unit of currency in the United States, Canada, Australia, and several other countries, symbolized by $. Example: “The meal cost twelve dollars.”
noun
1
The main unit of currency in the United States, Canada, Australia, and several other countries, symbolized by $.
"The meal cost twelve dollars."
"The Australian dollar weakened against the US dollar last week."
"Tourists often exchange pounds for dollars before travelling to America."
2
Informal: money in general.
"He's always chasing the almighty dollar."
"Companies compete for the consumer dollar during the holiday season."
"He would do anything for a dollar, even work on Sundays."
How to use dollar
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe unit of money used in the US and several other countries.
Common mistake
Many countries use "dollar" as their currency name but at very different values — always check which country's dollar is meant.
Common pairings
a few dollars
the almighty dollar
dollar sign
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Word forms
- Plural
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Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The meal cost twelve _____.
Etymology
From Dutch daalder, itself from German Taler — short for Joachimsthaler, meaning "of Joachimstal," the town where the original coins were minted.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for dollar
See all rhymes for dollar →Frequently asked questions
What does “dollar” mean?
The word “dollar” means the main unit of currency in the United States, Canada, Australia, and several other countries, symbolized by $. In plain terms, the unit of money used in the US and several other countries.
How do you pronounce “dollar”?
“Dollar” is pronounced DOL-uh (/ˈdɑ.lɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “dollar” in a sentence?
Here is “dollar” used in a sentence: “The meal cost twelve dollars.”
What part of speech is “dollar”?
“Dollar” is a noun.
Where does the word “dollar” come from?
The word “dollar” comes from German. From Dutch daalder, itself from German Taler — short for Joachimsthaler, meaning "of Joachimstal," the town where the original coins were minted.
Is “dollar” a common word?
“Dollar” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “dollar” have?
“Dollar” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the main unit of currency in the United States, Canada, Australia, and several other countries, symbolized by $.
Which countries use the dollar as their currency?
Many countries call their currency the dollar, though each is separate and worth a different amount. They include the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, and several Caribbean and Pacific nations. The US dollar is the most widely used and serves as a leading global reserve currency.
What is the difference between the US dollar and the Canadian dollar?
They are two separate currencies that happen to share the name 'dollar' and the $ symbol. The US dollar (USD) is used in the United States, and the Canadian dollar (CAD) in Canada. Their values differ and float independently, so one US dollar is rarely worth exactly one Canadian dollar.
How many cents are in a dollar?
A dollar is divided into 100 cents. This decimal system makes prices easy to write, so $1.50 means one dollar and fifty cents. Coins such as the nickel, dime, and quarter represent set fractions of a dollar: five, ten, and twenty-five cents respectively.
Why is the dollar symbol a $?
The $ sign is widely thought to come from the Spanish peso, written as 'Ps.' Over time the P and S merged into a single mark with one or two vertical strokes. The peso, or 'Spanish dollar,' circulated heavily in early America, and its symbol carried over to the US dollar.
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