What does duit mean?
A duit was a small copper coin minted in the Low Countries from the late medieval period onward and carried overseas by Dutch traders, most notably to the East Indies, where it became one of the lowest denominations of everyday exchange. Worth a fraction of a stiver, it was the sort of coin that changed hands constantly in markets but bought very little, which made it a natural byword for trivial sums. The word entered English mainly through descriptions of Dutch commerce and colonial life, so modern English readers encounter it almost exclusively in historical writing about the Netherlands or the Dutch East Indies. Separately, the same form lives on as the standard Malay and Indonesian word for money itself, a living legacy of centuries of Dutch presence in the region. For English speakers, then, 'duit' is best understood as a piece of monetary history: a humble copper coin whose name crossed oceans and, in another language, outlived the currency it named.
A former small Dutch copper coin, equal to one-eighth of a stiver, circulated in the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies.
"The ship's manifest listed provisions priced in guldens, stuivers, and duits."
Chiefly historical; found in contexts concerning Dutch numismatics or colonial-era Southeast Asia.
In Malay and Indonesian, money or cash in general.
"Dia meminjamkan sedikit duit kepada saya. (She lent me a little money.)"
Standard colloquial Indonesian/Malay; not an English borrowing in this sense.
Regular English plural when referring to multiple coins; uncountable in the Malay/Indonesian money sense.
"He tipped the porter a handful of duits."
In colonial-era Java, wages could be counted in single duits — copper coins so small that 'tidak ada duit' ('no money') still means being broke across Indonesia today.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of duit
The English word 'duit' comes directly from Dutch 'duit', the name of a small copper coin, first borrowed into English during the early modern period when Dutch trade and colonial ventures were prominent. Its further ultimate origin is uncertain, though it has been connected to Middle Dutch forms of similar meaning. In Malay and Indonesian, 'duit' was adopted from the Dutch coinage term during the colonial era and gradually broadened to mean money in general.
How duit is actually used
As an English word, 'duit' is chiefly historical, appearing in accounts of Dutch colonial trade; it survives in everyday use only through Malay and Indonesian, where it is the standard colloquial word for money.
Easily confused with duit
A doubloon was a large Spanish gold coin of high value, whereas a duit was a tiny Dutch copper coin of minimal worth.