lira

1 of 4

noun (1)

li·​ra ˈlir-ə How to pronounce lira (audio)
ˈlē-rə
plural lire ˈlē-(ˌ)rā How to pronounce lira (audio) also liras
: the basic monetary unit of Italy until 2002

lira

2 of 4

noun (2)

plural liras
the basic monetary unit of Turkey see Money Table

lira

3 of 4

noun (3)

plural liroth or lirot ˈlē-ˌrōt How to pronounce lira (audio)
-ˌrōth
: the former Israeli pound

lira

4 of 4

noun (4)

plural liri ˈlē-(ˌ)rē How to pronounce lira (audio)
: the basic monetary unit of Malta until 2008

Examples of lira 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
The national currency fell about 12 percent to an all-time low of 42 Turkish lira to the dollar before recovering some of its losses. Ben Hubbard, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2025 The Turkish lira plunged more than 10%, trading above 40 against the dollar – its weakest level on record – as Imamoglu’s detention spooked investors. Gul Tuysuz, CNN, 19 Mar. 2025 Last year, the Turkish lira lost 28 percent of its value, and this year, food prices have increased by 30 percent. Kaya Genc, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2019 As the Turkish lira has dropped, so have profit margins. Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 28 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lira

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Italian, from Latin libra, a unit of weight

Noun (2)

Turkish, from Italian

Noun (3)

Modern Hebrew, from Italian

Noun (4)

Maltese, from Italian

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1617, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1871, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

circa 1946, in the meaning defined above

Noun (4)

circa 1985, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lira was in 1617

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lira.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lira. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

lira

noun
li·​ra
ˈlir-ə
1
plural lire
ˈlē-ˌrā
also liras : the basic unit of money of Italy until 2002
2
plural liras : the basic unit of money of Turkey
3
: a coin or bill representing one lira

More from Merriam-Webster on lira

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!