currency

noun

cur·​ren·​cy ˈkər-ən(t)-sē How to pronounce currency (audio)
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

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
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.
From streaming music, movies and games to work and productivity tools delivered via subscription, to virtual communities and worlds with their own economies and currencies. Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025 The markets are already speaking: The U.S. dollar now trades for more than 1 million rials, an almost 75 percent increase from a few months ago, making the Iranian currency among the most worthless in the world (in 2015, when Iran last signed a deal with the U.S., the dollar was just 29,500 IRR). Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2025 Trump said those reciprocal tariffs will be calculated by combining the rate of tariffs and non-monetary barriers like currency manipulation, then divided in half. Brett Samuels, The Hill, 2 Apr. 2025 Local currency gets translated into U.S. dollars for U.S. taxes. Medora Lee, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for currency

Word History

Etymology

curr(ent) entry 1 + -ency

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of currency was in 1624

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Cite this Entry

“Currency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/currency. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

currency

noun
cur·​ren·​cy ˈkər-ən-sē How to pronounce currency (audio)
ˈkə-rən-
plural currencies
1
: common use or acceptance
2
: money in circulation

More from Merriam-Webster on currency

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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