dollar

[ dol-er ]

noun

1. a paper money, silver or cupronickel coin, and monetary unit of the United States, equal to 100 cents. : $
2. a silver or nickel coin and monetary unit of Canada, equal to 100 cents. : $
3. any of the monetary units of various other nations, as Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, East Timor, Fiji, Guyana, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Liberia, New Zealand, Singapore, the Solomon Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zimbabwe, equal to 100 cents.
4. Also called ringgit. a cupronickel coin and monetary unit of Brunei, equal to 100 sen.
5. ringgit ( def ).
6. a thaler.
7. a peso.
8. Levant dollar.
9. yuan ( def 1 ).
10. British Slang. (formerly)
    1. five-shilling piece; crown.
    2. the sum of five shillings.

dollar

/ ˈdɒlə /

noun

1. the standard monetary unit of the US and its dependencies, divided into 100 cents
2. the standard monetary unit, comprising 100 cents, of the following countries or territories: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Canada, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Kiribati, Liberia, Malaysia, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, and Zimbabwe
3. informal.
   (formerly) five shillings or a coin of this value
4. look or feel (like) a million dollars informal.
   to look or feel extremely well

Word History and Origins

Origin of dollar¹

First recorded in 1545–55; earlier daler, from Low German, Dutch daler; cognate with German Taler, short for Joachimsthaler, a silver coin minted in Joachimsthal ( Czech Jáchymov ) in Bohemia

Word History and Origins

Origin of dollar¹

C16: from Low German daler, from German Taler, Thaler, short for Joachimsthaler coin made from metal mined in Joachimsthal Jachymov, town now in the Czech Republic

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with dollars , also see feel like a million dollars ; look like a million dollars ; you can bet your ass (bottom dollar) .

Example Sentences

Clint Eastwood, who directed, produced and co-starred in “Million Dollar Baby,” played the only fictional character in the bunch, Frankie Dunn.

From Los Angeles Times

Even if some of the rumors of millions spent on celebrity appearances may be more complicated, it seems pretty clear not every dollar of this operation was carefully considered.

From Slate

That “digital gold” has triumphed over real gold, and the U.S. dollar remains as strong as ever.

From Slate

The specific products are sold at chain retailers, including Dollar Tree, Save-A-Lot Food Stores and Patel Brothers.

From Salon

The dollar index is hovering at its highest level since April, rising more than 2% in the last week.

From BBC

Related Words

• currency
• greenback