penny

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B2 — Upper-Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a fractional monetary unit of Ireland and the United Kingdom; equal to one hundredth of a pound
  2. noun a coin worth one-hundredth of the value of the basic unit

Etymology

From Middle English peny, from Old English peniġ, penniġ, penning (“penny”), from Proto-West Germanic *panning, from Proto-Germanic *panningaz, of uncertain origin (see that page for theories). Doublet of pfennig and fening.

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