penny
n. countablen. a small coin or unit of money used in countries like the UK and the US. It is usually the lowest value of money you can have.
n. a small monetary unit or coin used in various nations, representing one-hundredth of a pound or a dollar. Often used figuratively to represent a very small amount of money.
The child found a shiny penny on the sidewalk.
The total came to five pounds and one penny, so I searched my pockets for the extra coin.
While the physical penny is increasingly rare in daily transactions, it remains a fundamental unit of account in many financial systems.
From Pen(elope) + -y.
In the UK, the plural is 'pence' when referring to a value and 'pennies' when referring to the physical coins.
This coffee costs ninety pennies.This coffee costs ninety pence.In British English, use 'pence' for the price or value and 'pennies' only for the physical coins themselves.
- 01
a pound to a penny
Very likely; almost certainly.
- 02
bad penny
A person or thing which is unpleasant, disreputable, or otherwise unwanted, especially one which repeatedly appears at inopportune times.
- 03
penny for your thoughts
Used to inquire into the thoughts and feelings of another, especially when the person appears pensive or conflicted.