ha'penny

2 9.9

A small old British coin worth half a penny from before 1971

noun
/ˈheɪpəni/

Archaic

: ha'penny

These lovely toffee apples a ha'penny each.

Examples

Do you suppose the line would settle for five and tuppence ha'penny?

Suspicion (1941)
Here we are, five and tuppence ha'penny and three ha'pence.

Suspicion (1941)
One and threepence ha'penny to you.

Vera Drake (2004)
This here suit cost more than 4 pence ha'penny.

Oliver Twist (2005)
She's been fined a ha'penny.

Wicked Little Letters (2024)
Elevenpence ha'penny.

Peterloo (2018)
Don't cost a ha'penny.

The Informer (1935)
In the old market, a fresh apple cost just one ha'penny.
He found a ha'penny on the ground while walking to school.
When the shopkeeper offered him a few sweets for a ha'penny, he couldn't resist.

Synonyms

halfpenny

vsha'penny

Archaic

1 9.9

A former British coin worth half of a penny, used until 1984

stopped circulation earlier and ended use at decimalisation in 1971

Compounds

shove-ha'penny

Archaic

9.9

A pub game where you slide coins on a board to score points

two ha'penny

Archaic

9.9

Something sold for a very low price

Surface Forms

ha'penny singular

ha'pennies plural

Morphology

ha'penny = half + penny (transparent) = half + penny

The form and meaning are a straightforward compound meaning 'half' + 'penny'; the apostrophe in 'ha'penny' is an orthographic contraction but does not obscure the compositional relation.

Etymology

Ha'penny is simply a short form of half and penny, which means 'half a penny', and the apostrophe shows the missing letters. It was the name of a small British coin worth half a penny that was used until Britain changed its money system in 1971.