penny
PEH-nee
Penny (noun) means a small coin worth one cent, or one-hundredth of a pound or dollar. Example: “I only had a penny left in my purse after buying the sweets.”
noun
1
A small coin worth one cent, or one-hundredth of a pound or dollar.
"I only had a penny left in my purse after buying the sweets."
"She found a penny on the sidewalk and picked it up for luck."
"Prices used to be marked down to the last penny."
2
Money in general, especially a small amount.
"She never wasted a penny and saved carefully for the trip."
"That repair job cost him every penny he had saved."
"He didn't have a penny to his name after the move."
How to use penny
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe smallest standard coin in the US or UK currency system, or money in general.
Common pairings
a pretty penny
not a penny to spare
pinch pennies
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Word forms
- Plural
- pennies, pence, pens
- Third person singular
- pennies
- Past tense
- pennied
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
I only had a _____ left in my purse after buying the sweets.
Etymology
From Old English peniġ/penning, of uncertain deeper origin; a doublet of the German pfennig.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for penny
See all rhymes for penny →Frequently asked questions
What does “penny” mean?
The word “penny” means a small coin worth one cent, or one-hundredth of a pound or dollar. In plain terms, the smallest standard coin in the US or UK currency system, or money in general.
How do you pronounce “penny”?
“Penny” is pronounced PEH-nee (/ˈpɛni/ in IPA).
How do you use “penny” in a sentence?
Here is “penny” used in a sentence: “She found a penny on the sidewalk and picked it up for luck.”
What is another word for “penny”?
Words with a similar meaning to “penny” include old penny and 1⁄100 of a pound sterling.
What part of speech is “penny”?
“Penny” is a noun.
Where does the word “penny” come from?
The word “penny” comes from Old English. From Old English peniġ/penning, of uncertain deeper origin; a doublet of the German pfennig.
Is “penny” a common word?
“Penny” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “penny” have?
“Penny” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small coin worth one cent, or one-hundredth of a pound or dollar.
What is the plural of penny — pennies or pence?
Use pennies for the individual coins and, in British English, pence for an amount of money: three pennies are three separate coins, while three pence is a sum. In American English, pennies is the usual plural in all senses, since pence is not used for US money.
Is a penny the same as a cent?
In the United States, penny is the everyday name for the one-cent coin, so a penny is worth one cent — but cent is the official unit. In Britain, the penny is itself the official unit, worth one-hundredth of a pound.
