Antonyms for penny


Grammar : Noun
Spell : pen-ee
Phonetic Transcription : ˈpɛn i


Definition of penny

Origin :
  • Old English pening, penig, Northumbrian penning "penny," from Proto-Germanic *panninggaz (cf. Old Norse penningr, Swedish pänning, Danish penge, Old Frisian panning, Old Saxon pending, Middle Dutch pennic, Dutch penning, Old High German pfenning, German Pfennig, not recorded in Gothic, where skatts is used instead), of unknown origin.
  • Offa's reformed coinage on light, broad flans is likely to have begun c.760-5 in London, with an awareness of developments in Francia and East Anglia. ... The broad flan penny established by Offa remained the principal denomination, with only minor changes, until the fourteenth century. [Anna Gannon, "The Iconography of Early Anglo-Saxon Coinage," Oxford, 2003]
  • The English coin was originally set at one-twelfth of a shilling and was of silver, later copper, then bronze. There are two plural forms: pennies of individual coins, pence collectively. In translations it rendered various foreign coins of small denomination, especially Latin denarius, whence comes its abbreviation d.
  • As American English colloquial for cent, it is recorded from 1889. Penny-a-liner "writer for a journal or newspaper" is attested from 1834. Penny dreadful "cheap and gory fiction" dates from c.1870. Phrase penny-wise and pound-foolish is recorded from c.1600. Penny-pincher "miserly person" is recorded from 1906 (as an adjective penny-pinching is recorded from 1858, American English). Penny loafers attested from 1960.
  • As in red cent : noun insignificant value
  • As in change : noun smaller currency in exchange for larger
Example sentences :
  • Obulus, (plural Oboli)—A small coin, about the value of a penny.
  • Extract from : « Philothea » by Lydia Maria Child
  • If she was gone he would spend every penny he had to find her!
  • Extract from : « Weighed and Wanting » by George MacDonald
  • Sir, you once gave me a penny, and you have since embezzled my fortune.
  • Extract from : « Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 2, April 9, 1870 » by Various
  • He spared no expense, which he could well afford, seeing that he never paid a penny.
  • Extract from : « It Happened in Egypt » by C. N. Williamson
  • To her, the blaze of the Set's smartness was but the flicker of a penny dip.
  • Extract from : « It Happened in Egypt » by C. N. Williamson
  • You never know when he's done with you, and if you're in for a penny, you're in for a pound.'
  • Extract from : « The Life And Adventures Of Nicholas Nickleby » by Charles Dickens
  • Broth and coffee were sold at these places at a penny a cup.
  • Extract from : « The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete » by Emile Zola
  • I asked him three-halfpence for a penny one, because I was afraid he'd beat me down.
  • Extract from : « Life And Adventures Of Martin Chuzzlewit » by Charles Dickens
  • Then I'm as happy to have her without a penny—happier I am to prove my love pure.
  • Extract from : « Tales And Novels, Volume 8 (of 10) » by Maria Edgeworth
  • The Princess has never given me a penny of her money; I don't need it.
  • Extract from : « Jennie Baxter, Journalist » by Robert Barr

Synonyms for penny

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019