What does "coupon" mean?

1. (shopping discount) a piece of paper or a digital code that gives you a lower price on a product. 2. (ticket or voucher) a part of a ticket that shows you have the right to a seat or a service. 3. (bond interest) the interest payment made on a bond. 4. (material sample) a small piece of material used for testing. 5. (to collect vouchers) to spend a lot of time looking for and using discount vouchers.

How do you use "coupon"?

Often used as an attributive noun in 'coupon rate'.

coupon

n. · v.

US //ˈkjuˌpɔn// UK //kˈuːpɒn// coupon

1 shopping discount (n.)
B1 Intermediate

a piece of paper or a digital code that gives you a lower price on a product.

a voucher or digital token issued by a manufacturer or retailer that entitles the holder to a discount on a specific purchase.

Example

I cut a coupon out of the newspaper to get a dollar off my favorite cereal.

Example

The marketing department distributed digital coupons via social media to incentivize first-time customers to complete their online orders.
2 ticket or voucher (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

a part of a ticket that shows you have the right to a seat or a service.

a detachable part of a ticket or document that serves as proof of entitlement to a specific service, seat, or travel route.

Example

The travel agent gave us a coupon for a free dinner at the hotel.

Example

The rail pass included several coupons for regional bus transfers, which had to be validated by the driver upon boarding.

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3 bond interest (n.)
C1 Advanced Technical Law

the interest payment made on a bond.

the annual interest rate paid on a bond, expressed as a percentage of the face value.

Example

The bond pays a five percent coupon every six months.

Example

Investors were attracted to the high-yield corporate bonds despite the risks, primarily due to the attractive semi-annual coupon payments.

Usage

Often used as an attributive noun in 'coupon rate'.
- interest
- dividend
4 material sample (n.)
C2 Proficiency Technical Science

a small piece of material used for testing.

a small specimen of a material, such as metal, used for laboratory testing to determine the properties or corrosion rate of the bulk material.

Example

The engineer placed a steel coupon in the saltwater to test for rust.

Example

Corrosion coupons were extracted from the pipeline after six months to evaluate the effectiveness of the new chemical inhibitors.
- sample
- specimen
5 to collect vouchers (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

to spend a lot of time looking for and using discount vouchers.

to engage in the systematic collection and redemption of coupons to maximize savings.

Example

She managed to save fifty dollars this week because she started couponing.

Example

The rise of extreme couponing has led many retailers to tighten their policies regarding the stacking of multiple discounts.

Origin

From French coupon, from couper (“to cut”).