ENGLISH
REFERENCE

currency

n. C / U
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˈkɝənsi// UK //kˈʌɹənsi// cur·ren·cy Academic Archaic General-service

n. the system of money that a country uses. It can also mean how much people accept or believe an idea right now.

n. a system of money in general use in a particular country. In an abstract sense, it refers to the quality of being generally accepted or in use.


SIMPLE

The local currency is the euro.

CONTEXTUAL

Travelers should exchange their money for local currency before leaving the airport to avoid high fees.

COMPLEX

While the physical currency remains stable, the political theory that supported the previous administration has lost much of its currency among younger voters.

Synonyms
Origin

Borrowed from Medieval Latin currentia, from Latin currēns, from currō. By surface analysis, current + -cy.

Usage

Countable when referring to specific national systems; uncountable when referring to the general state of being current or accepted.

© 2026 English Reference