money

1 of 2

noun

mon·​ey ˈmə-nē 

plural moneys or monies ˈmə-nēz 

often attributive

1

: something generally accepted as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment: such as

a

: officially coined or stamped metal currency

newly minted money

b

: money of account

c

: paper money

handed the bank teller a wad of money

2

a

: wealth reckoned in terms of money

made her money in the insurance business

b

: an amount of money

raised the money for a new library

c

moneys or monies plural : sums of money : funds

the collection of tax monies

3

: a form or denomination of coin or paper money

wanted his money in $10 bills

4

a

: the first, second, and third place winners (as in a horse or dog race)

—usually used in the phrases in the money or out of the money

b

: prize money

his horse took third money

5

a

: persons or interests possessing or controlling great wealth

politicians at the beck and call of money

b

: a position of wealth

born into money

money

2 of 2

adjective

: involving or reliable in a crucial situation

a money player

a money pitch

Phrases

for one's money

: according to one's preference or opinion

For my money, this is her best novel yet.

on the money

: exactly right or accurate

His prediction that it would rain was right on the money.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the plural of money?

In its most common uses, money has no plural. We say "some money," not "a money" or "many moneys/monies." But when money refers to discrete sums of money obtained from a particular source or allocated to a particular cause, the word can be pluralized as moneys or monies, with monies being the more common spelling.

Is it 'how much money' or 'how many money'?

When we want to know an amount of money, we say "how much money," not "how many money."

What does 'money is no object' mean?

If money is no object, the price or cost of something does not matter.

Synonyms

Noun

• bread [slang]
• bucks
• cabbage [slang]
• cash
• change
• chips
• coin
• currency
• dough
• gold
• green
• jack [slang]
• kale [slang]
• legal tender
• lolly [British]
• long green [slang]
• loot
• lucre
• moola [slang]
• moolah
• needful
• pelf
• scratch [slang]
• shekels
• sheqels
• shekelim
• shekalim
• sheqalim
• tender
• wampum

Examples of money in a Sentence

Noun

That painting must be worth a lot of money.

He earned some money last summer as a musician.

We're trying to save enough money for a new car.

The town is raising money for the elementary school.

Friends would always ask her for money.

It's an interesting idea, but there's no money in it: it'll never sell.

He made his money in the insurance business.

They decided to put all their money in the stock market.

We didn't have much money when I was growing up.

Most of the project is being paid for by federal monies.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Even if Vice President Kamala Harris had won, much of that money would have continued to flow. —Cnn.com, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024

The constitutional amendment renews approval for the state using Minnesota State Lottery revenue for conservation, raises the amount of lottery money the state can spend each year and creates a new advisory council to decide how to award grants. —Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 6 Nov. 2024

Taxpayers’ benefit For every dollar of public money invested in SOCCCD, taxpayers will receive a cumulative value of $1.80 over the course of the students’ working lives. —Advertorial, Orange County Register, 6 Nov. 2024

Republicans have even spent some money attacking the Libertarian candidate, Donald Rainwater, in recent weeks. —Brittany Carloni, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

Middle English moneye, from Anglo-French moneie, from Latin moneta mint, money — more at mint

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1916, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing money

• a fool and his money are soon parted
• a license to print money
• bank money
• big money
• blood money
• Chinese money plant
• coin money
• come from money
• conscience money
• cost money
• danger money
• dirty money
• dole money
• even money
• fiat money
• folding money
• for love nor money
• for love or money
• front money
• funny money
• get his money's worth
• give (someone) a run for his/her/your/their money
• hot money
• hush money
• in the money
• lose money
• made of money
• mad money
• make money
• marry into money
• marry money
• money-back
• money-back guarantee
• money box
• money changer
• money for jam
• money for old rope
• money grab
• money-grubber
• money is no object
• money market
• money of account
• money order
• money pit
• money plant
• money riding
• money shot
• money-spinner
• money supply
• money talks
• money to burn
• near money
• old money
• paper money
• pay good money
• pin money
• plastic money
• pocket money
• pouring your money down the plughole
• prize money
• put (one's) money on
• put one's money where one's mouth is
• run for one's money
• seed money
• smart money
• soft money
• someone's money's worth
• spending money
• the money supply
• throw money around
• throw money at
• time is money
• token money
• value for money
• waste of money

Kids Definition

money

noun

mon·​ey

ˈmən-ē

plural moneys or monies

-ēz

1

a

: something (as coins or bills) generally accepted as a way of measuring value, as a way to trade value, and as a way to pay for goods and services

b

: an amount of money

2

: wealth calculated in terms of money

3

: the first, second, and third place winners in a horse or dog race

—usually used in the phrase in the money

Etymology

Noun

Middle English moneye "money," from early French moneie (same meaning), from Latin moneta "coin, place where coins are made," from Moneta "a special name for the goddess Juno"; so called because the ancient Romans made coins at the temple of Juno Moneta — related to mint entry 2

Word Origin

The wife of the Roman god Jupiter was Juno, but she was also known by several other names. One of them was Moneta. The Romans made coins at a temple that was dedicated to this goddess. For that reason the name Moneta came to mean "a place where coins are made," and later simply "coin" or "money." The Latin Moneta became moneie in early French. This early French word was borrowed into Middle English as moneye. From it we get the Modern English money.

Legal Definition

money

noun

mon·​ey ˈmə-nē 

plural moneys; plural monies ˈmə-nēz 

1

: an accepted or authorized medium of exchange

especially : coinage or negotiable paper issued as legal tender by a government

2

a

: assets or compensation in the form of or readily convertible into cash

b

: capital dealt in as a commodity to be lent, traded, or invested

mortgage money available from a lender

the money supply

c

plural : sums of money

collect tax moneys