currency

noun

cur·​ren·​cy ˈkər-ən(t)-sē 

ˈkə-rən(t)-

plural currencies

1

a

: circulation as a medium of exchange

b

: general use, acceptance, or prevalence

a story gaining currency

c

: the quality or state of being current : currentness

needed to check the accuracy and currency of the information

2

a

: something (such as coins, treasury notes, and banknotes) that is in circulation as a medium of exchange

b

: paper money in circulation

c

: a common article for bartering

Furs were once used as currency.

d

: a medium of verbal or intellectual expression

… neither side possessed any currency but clichés …

—Jan Struther

Synonyms of currency

• cash
• money
• coin

Examples of currency in a Sentence

A new currency has been introduced in the foreign exchange market.

They were paid in U.S. currency.

Furs were once traded as currency.

The word has not yet won widespread currency.

I'm not sure about the accuracy and currency of their information.

Recent Examples on the Web

The oil downturn and currency devaluation of the early 1980s shook Venezuelan society deeply, hollowing out the middle class and undermining trust in political institutions. —Arkansas Online, 9 Jan. 2026

Its citizens have also turned to stablecoins as a way to fight their currency’s hyperinflation. —Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026

At the same time, a currency collapsing under international sanctions, water shortages and recurring power outages have sharpened a sense of crisis across the country. —Roxana Saberi, Time, 9 Jan. 2026

Their role as a major political force has since become more symbolic, but the impact of fluctuations in currency on their business is what led them to spark the protests that have since turned deadly. —Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

curr(ent) entry 1 + -ency

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing currency

• fractional currency
• hard currency

Rhymes for currency

• concurrency
• eurocurrency

Kids Definition

currency

noun

cur·​ren·​cy ˈkər-ən-sē 

ˈkə-rən-

plural currencies

1

: common use or acceptance

2

: money in circulation