What does penny mean?
A penny is a small coin whose value differs by country: in the United States it is worth one cent, while in the former British currency system it was a one-penny unit. The word also has an informal figurative use for a very small sum of money, as when someone says an item costs only a few pennies. In British English, “penny” was once an actual denomination and the singular remained in use for an individual coin, whereas the plural of the monetary unit became “pence.” The expression “a penny saved is a penny earned” gives the word its familiar association with thrift and careful financial habits. Although the penny is no longer among the most widely used coins, the term remains familiar in everyday speech and continues to represent something modest, inexpensive, or easily overlooked.
nounA coin worth one cent in the United States, or one penny in the former British currency system. Informally, the word can also mean a small amount of money.
- A coin worth one cent in the United States or one penny in the former British currency system.
- An informal reference to a very small amount of money.
"She found a penny beneath the old wooden bench."
"The machine returned a penny when the last quarter was inserted."
"The repairs cost a few pennies, but they made the difference."
“Pennies” is the plural of the coin and the informal singular amount. In British currency, “pence” is the plural of “penny” when referring to the monetary unit, especially after a numeral, as in “50 pence.”
"She counted the pennies into small stacks beside the till."
The penny has been a tiny but enduring symbol of thrift, and the saying “a penny saved is a penny earned” is still part of everyday English.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does penny come from?
The word comes from Middle English “penny,” borrowed through Anglo-Norman French from Latin “pennia,” a coin name derived from a Germanic word meaning “feather” or “down.” Its Old English ancestor, “penning,” referred to a coin or to money. The word has close relatives in Dutch “penning” and German “Pfennig,” all reflecting a common Germanic origin.
Related word forms
How penny is actually used
In American English, “penny” and “cent” refer to different things: a penny is the coin, while a cent is its value. In British English, “penny” may refer historically to a former one-penny coin and, informally, to one penny in current currency. The plural is “pennies” for the coin or amount, while “pence” is the plural of the British currency unit when used after a numeral.
Easily confused with penny
In American English, a penny is a coin worth one cent, while cent is the monetary unit itself.
Penny is the singular name of the coin or amount, whereas pence is the standard plural used with British currency.