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fivepence

fivepence

7.2
A small British coin that is worth five pence
  • noun
  • /ˈfaɪvˌpɛns/
  • UK
translation icon : cinco peniques
  • You need a fivepence piece to use the locker at the museum.

Examples

  • I have a fivepence coin in my wallet from my last trip to London.

  • Can you spare a fivepence for the bus?

  • He handed the cashier a fivepence to cover the cost of the stamp.

  • I found a fivepence on the sidewalk.

  • He handed the cashier a fivepence to cover the cost of the stamp.

  • I have a fivepence coin in my wallet from my last trip to London.

  • You need a fivepence piece to use the locker at the museum.

Surface Forms

fivepence singular
fivepences plural

Morphology

fivepence = five + pence (transparent) = five + pence

The compound is a straightforward numeral + currency term; knowing 'five' and 'pence' allows a learner to infer its meaning.

Etymology

The word fivepence is simply five + pence, meaning 'five pennies', so in British money it names a coin worth five pence.