# Vera

/ˈvɛɹə/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/vera
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. female name

noun · CEFR A1

a common female first name, originally from Russia.

For teachers: a female given name of Russian origin, meaning 'faith'.

- Vera lived in the same house for over fifty years.
- The protagonist, Vera, represents the stoic resilience often found in mid-century literature.

### 2. finance measure

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a very technical way to measure how interest rates and price changes affect investments.

For teachers: a second-order derivative sensitivity measuring the rate of change of vega with respect to the risk-free interest rate.

- The analyst looked at the vera to see how the interest rate might change the risk.
- Advanced traders monitor vera to understand how shifts in the risk-free rate influence the volatility sensitivity of their options portfolio.

Usage: Used primarily in quantitative finance and options trading.

### 3. rolling paper

noun · CEFR C2 · Slang · British English

a piece of paper used to make a cigarette.

For teachers: a cigarette rolling paper; derived from Cockney rhyming slang 'Vera Lynn' for 'skin'.

- He asked his friend if he had a spare vera for his cigarette.
- The old man at the pub reached into his pocket, searching for a vera to roll his tobacco.

Teaching tip: This is very specific to London and older generations; most modern speakers will simply say 'skins' or 'papers'.

## Examples

- The shop is charging a vera for basic groceries.
- After the supply chain crisis, the local market started charging a vera for imported electronics.
- While the base model is affordable, the manufacturer charges a vera for any additional features or software upgrades.

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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.