What does decimalisation mean?
Decimalisation is the process of converting a measurement, monetary system, or numerical expression to a decimal basis based on ten. Its most familiar use is in reference to the conversion of a country's currency from a system such as pounds, shillings, and pence to units based on hundreds of smaller units. In Britain, decimalisation transformed the pound into 100 pence and took effect in 1971. More generally, the word describes expressing a number or quantity in decimal form, including the conversion of values from another numerical base or a non-decimal notation. The term is formal but widely understood, and it has a particularly strong historical association with monetary change. In personal or informal writing, people may say “going decimal,” although that expression is less precise. In technical contexts, decimalisation can also refer to converting a quantity or representation into a decimal form for calculation, storage, or display. The word is especially associated with British English, while the corresponding American spelling is decimalization.
nounThe process of converting a system of measurement, especially currency, to a decimal system based on ten. It can also refer more generally to expressing a number or quantity in decimal form.
- Conversion of a measurement or monetary system to a decimal basis based on ten.
- Conversion of a number or quantity into decimal form.
"The decimalisation of the pound made everyday prices and calculations easier to handle."
"Decimalisation of the currency was a major feature of the changeover to modern British money."
"The programmer performed a decimalisation before displaying the result to the user."
The plural is grammatically standard but uncommon; discussions often refer to individual instances of the process without using the plural.
"The decimalisations of several currencies took place during the twentieth century."
Decimalisation turned the pound’s 240 pence into 100—and rewrote everyday money.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does decimalisation come from?
The word was formed in English from decimal and the suffix -isation, meaning the process of making or converting something. Decimal comes through French from Latin decimalis, meaning “tenth,” ultimately from decimus, the Latin ordinal for “tenth,” which is related to decem, “ten.” English decimate and decimation come from the same ancient root through Latin decimare, “to destroy one in every ten.” The shared root reflects the central role of ten in decimal counting and measurement.
Related word forms
How decimalisation is actually used
The term is formal and neutral, appearing especially in economic, historical, and technical writing. British English normally uses the -isation spelling, while American English generally uses decimalization.
Easily confused with decimalisation
Decimalisation means conversion to a decimal system, whereas decimation traditionally means the reduction of a number or group by one part in ten.