# benjamin

/ˈbɛndʒəmən/ (US) · /bˈɛndʒəmɪn/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/benjamin
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a slang word for a one-hundred-dollar bill. You use this because Benjamin Franklin's face is on the money.

For teachers: a slang term for a United States one-hundred-dollar bill, referring to the portrait of Benjamin Franklin on the obverse. Informal in register and common in hip-hop culture and financial slang.

## Examples

- He pulled a Benjamin out of his wallet to pay for dinner.
- The jacket was expensive, costing several Benjamins even after the store applied a discount.
- In many urban lyrics, the pursuit of Benjamins serves as a central metaphor for social mobility and the harsh realities of economic survival in the modern city.

## Usage notes

- Usually used in the plural ('Benjamins') to refer to a large amount of money.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.