What does pfennig mean?
A pfennig was a small German coin, equal to one hundredth of a mark. The name is also sometimes used figuratively to describe a very small amount of money, especially in references to older German prices or sayings such as not being worth a pfennig. Pfennig coins circulated under several German governments and were eventually replaced after the euro became the official currency of Germany in 2002. In contemporary English, the word is therefore chiefly historical, though it remains familiar to readers of German history and to people who encountered the old currency before the euro. It should not be confused with the British or American penny, even though both words can refer metaphorically to a trivial amount.
nounA former German coin worth one hundredth of a mark. Pfennig coins were withdrawn from circulation when Germany adopted the euro in 2002.
- A former German coin worth one hundredth of a mark, discontinued with the introduction of the euro.
"He found an old pfennig among the coins in his grandfather's collection."
"The museum displays several pfennigs from the German Empire."
"She used to call a tiny amount of money 'not even a pfennig.'"
The standard English plural is pfennigs; the German plural form Pfennige may also appear in references to German usage.
"She collected German pfennigs and other small change."
A pfennig was Germany's hundredth of a mark—and, in the euro era, simply a memory.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pfennig come from?
The English word was borrowed from German Pfennig, the name of a small German coin. German Pfennig comes from the Middle High German pfenninc, an earlier word for a small coin; the precise origin of that older form is uncertain. The term was later associated with the pfennig coin denominations used during the period of the German mark.
How pfennig is actually used
The word is primarily historical in modern English. It is still used when referring to German coins or prices from the period before the euro; the German plural is Pfennige.
Easily confused with pfennig
A penny is a British or American coin, whereas a pfennig was a German coin equal to one hundredth of a mark.