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Glite Dictionary
bezant

bezant

9.9
A gold coin from the Byzantine Empire used in medieval Europe
  • noun
  • /bɪˈzænt/
  • Archaic
translation icon : bezante
  • The merchant displayed a box filled with ancient gold bezants that had been used in Europe for centuries.
  • one thousand bezants
  • one bezant

Examples

  • And the storyteller began to tell of a poor man who had one thousand bezants and who was on his way to see the sheep trader, and for each coin he received two sheep.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • In the story, the king rewarded his loyal subjects with gold bezants for their bravery in battle.

  • Now I no longer have anything, if you don't count the bezants.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • I was left with only one thousand bezants, and with these, I bought sheep for her dowry.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • During the trade fair, he offered a rare collection of gold bezants from the Byzantine Empire.

Synonyms

solidus
vsbezant
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A gold coin used in the Byzantine Empire and in medieval Europe

has identical meaning but is a different traditional term
bezzant
vsbezant
  • Archaic
9.9

A gold coin from the Byzantine Empire used in Europe in the Middle Ages

has identical meaning but is an alternative traditional name
byzant
vsbezant
  • Archaic
9.9

A gold coin from the Byzantine Empire that people used widely in the Middle Ages

has identical meaning but is a variant historical name

Surface Forms

bezant singular
bezants plural

Etymology

The word bezant comes from the old city name Byzantium, because the gold coins made there were used across Europe in the Middle Ages. So, a bezant is a medieval gold coin that originally came 'from Byzantium'.