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Glite Dictionary
eightpence

eightpence

9.9
A former British coin worth eight pennies
  • noun
  • /ˈeɪt.pəns/
  • Archaic
translation icon : ocho peniques
  • He paid for the loaf of bread with an eightpence.

Examples

  • The collector displayed a rare eightpence among his coin collection.

  • The old coin was worth eightpence.

  • During the 16th century, an eightpence was a significant amount of money.

  • How much is eightpence in today's money?

  • In the Victorian era, a small purchase could be made for just an eightpence.

  • He searched his pockets and found an old eightpence from his childhood.

  • Collecting rare coins, she proudly added an eightpence to her collection.

Surface Forms

eightpence singular
eightpences plural

Morphology

eightpence = eight + pence (transparent) = eight + pence

Clear compound of the numeral 'eight' and the currency unit 'pence'; the meaning is directly the value expressed.

Etymology

Eightpence is simply the words eight and pence put together, literally 'eight pennies', so it was the name for a British coin worth eight pennies. Think of it as eight small coins added up in value, which is why the coin had that name.