Word
banknote
Phoneticsban·knote, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbæŋkˌnoʊt/
UK/bˈænknəʊt/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a piece of paper money issued by a bank or government. You use it to pay for things instead of coins.
n. a promissory note issued by a central bank or authorised financial institution, serving as legal tender in paper form.
Examples
“She paid with a fifty-pound banknote.”
“The cashier held the banknote up to the light to check it was genuine.”
“In an era of contactless payments, the sight of a crisp banknote changing hands has become increasingly rare in urban economies.”
Examples
simple
“She paid with a fifty-pound banknote.”
contextual
“The cashier held the banknote up to the light to check it was genuine.”
complex
“In an era of contactless payments, the sight of a crisp banknote changing hands has become increasingly rare in urban economies.”
Usage
Takes 'a' or a numeral before it; plural form is 'banknotes'.
Etymology
From bank + note.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/banknote