ENGLISH
REFERENCE

som

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈsɑm// UK //sˈɒm// som Archaic

n. the main unit of money used in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. It is similar to how people use the dollar or the euro in other countries.

n. the primary currency unit of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Derived from a Turkic word meaning 'pure', historically referring to pure gold.


SIMPLE

The traveler exchanged his dollars for som at the airport.

CONTEXTUAL

After arriving in Bishkek, we needed to withdraw some som from the local ATM to pay for our taxi.

COMPLEX

The central bank monitored the exchange rate closely to ensure the som remained stable against major international currencies during the period of economic transition.

Origin

Two main origins: * Borrowed from Khmer សោម (saom), a surname of unclear origin. * Borrowed from Bengali সোম (śōm), a Hindu surname from Sanskrit सोम (soma, “moon”).

Usage

The plural form is usually 'som' in financial contexts, though 'soms' is also used in general English.

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