paisa

[ pahy-sah pahy-sah ]

noun

, plural pai·se [pahy-, sey].

1. Also an aluminum coin and monetary unit, one 100th of the rupee of India, Nepal, and Pakistan.
2. poisha.

paisa

/ ˈpaɪsɑː /

noun

1. a monetary unit of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan worth one hundredth of a rupee

Word History and Origins

Origin of paisa¹

First recorded in 1880–85; from Hindi, Bengali paisā, probably from Sanskrit pāda “quarter” + aṃśa “quarter part”; pada ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of paisa¹

from Hindi

Example Sentences

Save for a denim jacket, the Mexican American singer-songwriter is decked out in black, an outfit befitting the reigning prince of paisa sadness.

From Los Angeles Times

The Spanish is paisa — countrified — while the English has the tough tone of someone who grew up off Vermont Avenue.

From Los Angeles Times

He was carrying a pistol he’d bought from a “paisa” who had gone back to Mexico, he told the board.

From Los Angeles Times

Many of the approximately 6,000 family members carry a genetic variant called the paisa mutation that inevitably leads to early-onset dementia.

From Scientific American

It was this mix of paisas, cholos, skaters, rockers, older people, younger people, people getting dropped off at the bus stop — everyone’s shopping.

From Los Angeles Times