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Glite Dictionary
halfpenny

halfpenny

1 9.9
A former British coin worth half of a penny, used until 1984
  • noun
  • /ˈhælfpəni/
  • Archaic
translation icon : medio penique
  • The postcard only cost a halfpenny to send, making it an affordable option for everyone.
  • halfpenny place

Examples

  • We have that here, and it makes not a halfpenny's worth of difference, though it does attribute taxation where it is due to meet some of the costs of roads and road use.

    Blog text (24)

  • A halfpenny loaf will serve us all.

    Academic text (2008)

  • Two shillings and a halfpenny, sir.

    Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)

  • Hasn't got a halfpenny to his name.

    On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970)

  • Worth every halfpenny paid.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • She had picked up every single halfpenny she'd found and avoided walking under ladders.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • He found an old halfpenny in the bottom of his pocket while cleaning out his coat.

  • During the event, people donated every halfpenny they could spare to help those in need.

Synonyms

ha'penny
vshalfpenny
  • Archaic
2 9.9

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

is the same coin but remained in use until 1984

Surface Forms

halfpenny singular
halfpennies plural

Morphology

halfpenny = half + penny (transparent) = half + penny

The meaning is directly derived from 'half' + 'penny' indicating a coin worth half a penny; the compound is compositionally clear even though the coin is now obsolete.

Etymology

Halfpenny is simply half + penny, so it literally means 'half a penny' and names the small British coin that was used in the United Kingdom until 1984.