# currency

/ˈkɝənsi/ (US) · /kˈʌɹənsi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/currency
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. money system

noun · CEFR B1 · General-service

the system of money that a country uses.

For teachers: a system of money in general use in a particular country.

- When you travel to Japan, you will need to exchange your money for the local currency.
- The sudden devaluation of the national currency led to a sharp increase in the cost of imported goods and services.

Usage: Countable when referring to different national systems; uncountable when referring to the concept of money.

### 2. general acceptance

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Formal

the state of being commonly accepted, used, or believed by many people.

For teachers: the quality or state of being current; general acceptance, recognition, or prevalence.

- The idea that we only use ten percent of our brains still has a lot of currency today.
- The theory gained currency among sociologists in the late nineties, though it has since been challenged by more recent empirical data.

Usage: Usually uncountable in this sense.

## Examples

- The local currency is the euro.
- Travelers should exchange their money for local currency before leaving the airport to avoid high fees.
- While the physical currency remains stable, the political theory that supported the previous administration has lost much of its currency among younger voters.

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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.