Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1600-1700
Language: Medieval Latin
Origin: currentia 'flowing', from Latin currere; CURRENT1

currency

 noun
     
Related topics: Currencies
cur‧ren‧cy W2 plural currencies
1PEC [uncountable and countable] the system or type of money that a country uses:
The bank can supply you with foreign currency.
There are moves towards a single currency in Europe.
The local currency is the Swiss franc.
 ➔ hard currency
2 [uncountable] the state of being accepted or used by a lot of people:
The argument has received wide currency.
Marxism began to gain currency.
The idea was common currency in European political life.
WORD CHOICE: WORD CHOICE:

money, cash, change, currencyMoney is the most general word for the notes and coins that you use for buying things • Can I borrow some money? • Put the money straight in your purse.Use cash when you want to emphasize that you mean notes and coins, and not cheques, credit cards etc • You have to pay in cash - they don't accept cheques.!! Do not say 'pay by cash'. Say pay in cash.Use change when you mean money in the form of coins, or the money you get back when you pay for something with more money than it cost • I need some change for the phone. • He left the shop without waiting for his change.Use currency to refer to the money of a particular country • You'll need about £500 worth of Japanese currency. ➔ See also money
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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