What does dobra mean?
The dobra is the official currency of São Tomé and Príncipe, the small island nation in the Gulf of Guinea off the western coast of Central Africa. One dobra is divided into 100 cêntimos, though coins of such small denomination see little practical use given inflation over the years. The word entered English through Portuguese: in its older sense, a dobra was a gold coin circulated in Portugal and Spain, its name ultimately deriving from Latin roots meaning 'double,' since it was originally worth two smaller units. Today the term appears mainly in financial reporting, travel writing, and discussions of the economies of lusophone Africa. In 2018 São Tomé and Príncipe carried out a significant revaluation of the dobra, pegging it to the euro to stabilise prices. For readers of international news or numismatists, the dobra is a useful word for identifying one of the world's less familiar but historically rich currencies.
The basic monetary unit of São Tomé and Príncipe, equal to 100 cêntimos.
"The central bank announced new measures to support the dobra against the euro."
Often used with an invariable plural when stating amounts (e.g. '1,000 dobra'), though 'dobras' is common in general prose.
A former Portuguese gold coin.
"The shipwreck yielded a small hoard of gold dobras minted in Lisbon."
Strictly historical; encountered chiefly in numismatic or historical writing.
Currency names are often left unchanged after numerals ('200 dobra'); the anglicised plural 'dobras' is also widely accepted.
"The tour cost around 3,000 dobra per person."
São Tomé and Príncipe revalued its dobra in 2018, making it Africa's first digital-ready cryptocurrency-linked national currency plan — but the name itself dates back centuries to Portuguese gold coins worth twice a normal piece.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dobra
The word dobra comes from Portuguese, in which it originally denoted a gold coin; the name derives from the feminine of Portuguese 'dobro' meaning 'double', from Latin 'duplus' (twofold), reflecting the coin's value relative to another unit. The same Latin root gives English words such as double, duplex, duple, and duplicate. When São Tomé and Príncipe introduced their national currency after independence, they adopted this historic Portuguese monetary name for it.
How dobra is actually used
When referring to sums of money, the plural is typically left unchanged ("500 dobra"), though "dobras" is also seen. The word is almost exclusively used in economic, financial, or historical contexts.
Easily confused with dobra
A dobro is a type of resonator guitar, while the dobra is the currency of São Tomé and Príncipe.