What does denari mean?
"Denari" is a plural noun referring to the silver coins of ancient Rome known individually as denarii — the workhorse currency of the Roman Republic and Empire. First minted around 211 BC, the denarius remained the standard Roman coin for several centuries, paying soldiers' wages, funding trade across the Mediterranean, and giving its name to the modern dinar still used in countries such as Serbia, North Macedonia, and several Arab states. In English, "denari" typically appears in historical, biblical, or archaeological contexts, describing sums of money in the ancient world — as when a laborer's daily wage is reckoned at one denarius, or a betrayal is valued at thirty pieces of silver. While "denarii" is the more common plural in formal English scholarship, "denari" is a well-attested alternative, favored in some European traditions. The word carries an evocative, antiquarian flavor that lends historical texture to any sentence it appears in.
nounThe plural of denarius, a silver coin of ancient Rome, and also the former plural form of the dinar in certain currencies.
- Plural of denarius: the standard silver coin of ancient Rome, first struck around 211 BC and the backbone of Roman currency for centuries.
- Former plural form of the dinar in various currencies, notably the South Slavic languages and Italian contexts.
"A Roman legionary was paid roughly 900 denari a year under Augustus."
"Judas is traditionally said to have betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, often imagined as thirty denari."
"The merchant counted out his denari on the wooden table before closing shop."
Already plural; takes plural verbs. The singular is "denarius." An alternative Latin-style plural is "denarii."
"These worn denari were minted during the reign of Hadrian."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of denari
"Denari" derives from the Latin "denarius," originally an adjective meaning "containing ten," from "deni" (ten each), formed from "decem" (ten). The Roman coin was so named because it was initially valued at ten bronze asses. The same root gave rise to the Arabic "dinar," adopted from the Greek "denarion," which survives today as the name of several modern currencies, and to English "denary," meaning "relating to ten." The plural "denari" follows an anglicized or Romance-language pattern rather than the classical Latin "denarii."
How denari is actually used
"Denari" appears most often in historical, archaeological, and biblical writing about ancient Rome. The Latin plural "denarii" is more common in scholarly English prose; "denari" reflects an anglicized or Italianate treatment and is especially common when discussing currencies named after the coin, such as the dinar. In modern English it functions strictly as a plural noun with no singular use.
Easily confused with denari
Denarii is the classical Latin-style plural of denarius; denari is an anglicized or Italianate variant used for the same Roman coin.