legal tender

noun

: money that is legally valid for the payment of debts and that must be accepted for that purpose when offered

Examples of legal tender in a Sentence

Soon after France adopted the euro, the French franc ceased to be legal tender. coins and bills are considered legal tender, but postage stamps are not
Recent Examples on the Web The slow but steady march of crypto products into mainstream financial systems — El Salvador adopted Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021 — has piqued broader interest in the subject. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 19 Oct. 2024 Countries like El Salvador and regions with economic instability increasingly turn to bitcoin as legal tender or reserve asset. Susie Violet Ward, Forbes, 6 Oct. 2024 In June 2019, the government recognized the RTGS dollar as legal tender and rechristened it the new Zimbabwean dollar, while at the same time barring the use of the U.S. dollar. Tendai Biti, Foreign Affairs, 20 Aug. 2019 And Bhutan El Salvador is famous for becoming the first country to adopt bitcoin as legal tender, integrating it into several national projects aimed at stimulating economic growth and reducing debt. Marie Poteriaieva, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for legal tender 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'legal tender.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1730, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of legal tender was circa 1730

Dictionary Entries Near legal tender

Cite this Entry

“Legal tender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legal%20tender. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

legal tender

noun
: money that the law authorizes for paying debts

Legal Definition

legal tender

noun
: money that is legally valid for the payment of debts and that must be accepted for that purpose when offered

More from Merriam-Webster on legal tender

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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