penny

1 of 2

noun

pen·​ny ˈpe-nē How to pronounce penny (audio)
plural pennies ˈpe-nēz How to pronounce penny (audio) or pence ˈpen(t)s How to pronounce penny (audio)
often attributive
1
a
: a monetary unit of the United Kingdom formerly equal to ¹/₂₄₀ pound but now equal to ¹/₁₀₀ pound
b
: a similar monetary unit of any of various other countries in or formerly in the Commonwealth of Nations see pound at Money Table
c
: a coin representing one penny
2
3
plural pennies : cent
4
: a former monetary unit equal to ¹/₁₀₀ Irish pound
5
: a trivial amount
6
: a piece or sum of money
that will cost a pretty penny

-penny

2 of 2

adjective combining form

: being a (designated) nail size
an eightpenny nail

Examples of penny in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Every year, the groups collectively spend millions of dollars and keep only enough in ticket sales to cover their expenses, sending every penny of profit back to Shen Yun. Michael Rothfeld, New York Times, 29 Dec. 2024 Biden attempted to blatantly subvert the will of the American people by racing to auction off border wall materials for just pennies on the dollar, which would force Trump to buy them back at EXPONENTIALLY higher markups. David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024 Chase has earned every penny of what will soon be a record-breaking contract. Theo Gremminger, The Athletic, 28 Dec. 2024 However, prison jobs routinely pay only pennies and for those who are in prison for decades, loss of contact with family/friends can result in a drop in funding as the sentence progresses. Walter Pavlo, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for penny 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English penning, penig; akin to Old High German pfenning, a coin

Adjective combining form

penny; perhaps from the original price per hundred

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of penny was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near penny

Cite this Entry

“Penny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penny. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

penny

noun
pen·​ny ˈpen-ē How to pronounce penny (audio)
plural pennies
-ēz
or pence ˈpen(t)s How to pronounce penny (audio)
1
a
: a British unit of money formerly equal to ¹⁄₂₄₀ pound but now equal to ¹⁄₁₀₀ pound
b
: a coin representing this unit
2
plural pennies : cent
3
: a sum of money
earn an honest penny

More from Merriam-Webster on penny

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