halfpenny

noun

half·​pen·​ny ˈhāp-nē 

ˈhā-pə-,

 US also  ˈhaf-ˌpe-nē,

ˈhäf-

1

plural halfpence ˈhā-pən(t)s 

 US also  ˈhaf-ˌpen(t)s,

ˈhäf-

or halfpennies : a formerly used British coin representing one half of a penny

2

: the sum of half a penny

3

: a small amount

halfpenny adjective

Examples of halfpenny in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Indeed, in 2023, his music earned him just shy of $200,000, about one halfpenny at a time. —Brett Martin, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2024

In nineteenth-century England, tailors would place old halfpennies in the pockets of a man’s new suit for good luck. —Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2023

The cost of providing the training, closing the stores and any loss of sales due to boycotting customers won’t show up until the fiscal third quarter when William Blair estimates up to a halfpenny penalty to earnings per share. —Julie Jargon, WSJ, 25 Apr. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

halfpenny

noun

half·​pen·​ny ˈhāp-(ə-)nē 

 U.S. also  ˈhaf-ˌ-pen-ē,

ˈhȧf-

plural halfpence

ˈhā-pən(t)s,

 U.S. also  ˈhaf-ˌpen(t)s,

ˈhȧf-

or halfpennies

: a former British coin representing one half of a penny