agio

noun

ˈa-(ˌ)jō,

ˈa-jē-ˌō,

ˈä-(ˌ)jō

plural -s

1

a

: a premium or percentage paid for the exchange of one currency for another (as where gold is given for silver or metallic for paper currency)

b

: the premium or discount on foreign bills of exchange

2

: money changing

Word History

Etymology

Italian aggio, agio, alteration (by false word division, l being taken as the definite article) of Italian dialect lajjë, from Middle Greek allagion exchange, from Greek allagē change, exchange, from allos other

First Known Use

1696, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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