# fei

CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fei
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

a type of very large, heavy stone money used in the past on the island of Yap. These stones are shaped like wheels and can be several meters wide.

For teachers: large, circular stone discs used as a traditional medium of exchange on the Micronesian island of Yap. Often referred to as Rai stones, their value is derived from their size, history, and the difficulty of their transport.

## Examples

- The villagers moved the heavy fei with thick wooden poles.
- Even when a fei was lost at sea, the community agreed it still held value because everyone knew it existed.
- The monetary system of Yap relied on the oral history of each fei, where the physical location of the stone was often less important than the collective acknowledgement of its ownership.

## Usage notes

- Often used as a collective noun for the currency system or as a countable noun for individual stones.

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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.