What does kopeck mean?
A kopeck is a monetary unit used in Russia and in the currencies of several other former Soviet republics. One hundred kopecks make one ruble, making the word a convenient name for a small amount of money and for the corresponding coin. In English, “a few kopecks” can suggest a trivial or very small sum, while expressions such as “not worth a kopeck” emphasize that something has virtually no value. Historically, the term referred to a coin first issued in sixteenth-century Russia; subsequent monetary reforms established it as a subunit of the ruble. Although its role in everyday Russian life has declined, the kopeck remains familiar through references to Russian prices, literature, history, and sayings about the insignificance of money.
nounA monetary unit equal to one hundredth of a Russian ruble, also used to refer to the small copper-plated coin of that denomination.
- A monetary unit equal to one hundredth of a ruble.
- A small coin of one-kopeck denomination.
"The machine returned the last few kopecks to the customer."
"The postcard cost twenty kopecks."
"She had only a handful of kopecks left after paying the fare."
Use kopecks for the plural of one hundredth of a ruble; “five kopecks” is standard in modern English usage.
"The fare increased by ten kopecks."
The kopeck began as a silver coin and now survives as a copper-plated piece of pocket change worth one hundredth of a ruble.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does kopeck come from?
The English word comes from Russian копейка (kopeika), the name of the coin, with the English form conventionally spelled kopeck. The coin originated in sixteenth-century Muscovy, when small silver coins were issued with monetary values expressed in kopeks. Over time, monetary reforms made the kopek equal to one hundredth of the ruble, while later issues were made in copper and then copper-plated steel. Transliterations such as kopeika and kopeyka reflect the form of the originating Russian word.
Related word forms
How kopeck is actually used
The plural is kopecks, although kopeck is sometimes used in both singular and plural in informal or historical contexts.
Easily confused with kopeck
Kopeck and kopek are variant English spellings of the same Russian monetary unit.