currency

noun

cur·​ren·​cy ˈkər-ən(t)-sē How to pronounce currency (audio)
ˈkə-rən(t)-
plural currencies
Synonyms of currencynext
1
a
: circulation as a medium of exchange
b
: general use, acceptance, or prevalence
a story gaining currency
c
: the quality or state of being current : currentness
needed to check the accuracy and currency of the information
2
a
: something (such as coins, treasury notes, and banknotes) that is in circulation as a medium of exchange
b
: paper money in circulation
c
: a common article for bartering
Furs were once used as currency.
d
: a medium of verbal or intellectual expression
… neither side possessed any currency but clichés …Jan Struther

Examples of currency in a Sentence

A new currency has been introduced in the foreign exchange market. They were paid in U.S. currency. Furs were once traded as currency. The word has not yet won widespread currency. I'm not sure about the accuracy and currency of their information.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Those who join now can use the code PCAMER26 by December 31, 2026, to earn up to 4,000 bonus Avios (Qatar Airways’s rewards currency) to use on upcoming flights, upgrades, and extra baggage allowances. Jamie Spain, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026 The courts in the past have held — and usually not framed in terms of DEI policies; this was prior to that term gaining currency — but courts have been skeptical about giving the FCC authority over Equal Employment Opportunity policies as a basis for license decisions. Josef Adalian, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2026 Coke's organic revenue, which strips out acquisitions, divestitures and currency, rose 10% in the quarter. Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026 Users can already trade stocks, crypto, foreign currencies, Polymarket positions, and pre-IPO company secondaries—with up to 200x leverage in some jurisdictions. Jack Kubinec, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for currency

Word History

Etymology

curr(ent) entry 1 + -ency

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of currency was in 1624

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Currency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/currency. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

currency

noun
cur·​ren·​cy ˈkər-ən-sē How to pronounce currency (audio)
ˈkə-rən-
plural currencies
1
: common use or acceptance
2
: money in circulation

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