Skip to main content
one dollar bill

one dollar bill

4 1.0
A piece of paper money worth one dollar that you use to pay for things
  • noun
  • /wʌn ˈdɑːlər bɪl/
  • US
translation icon : billete de un dólar
  • Successful subjects were then given seven one-dollar bills and asked to sign a receipt.
  • three one dollar bills
  • two one dollar bills
  • five one dollar bills

Examples

  • He dug in his uniform pants pocket and handed Gordie three one-dollar bills.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • A one-dollar bill saved for our bus fare home.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Another thing, on the one dollar bill it says IN GOD WE TRUST.

    Blog text (25)
  • Take out a one-dollar bill and look at the reverse side, on the right.

    Blog text (32)
  • A one-dollar bill Daddy gave me, slipping it into my pocket.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • I counted the coins, the four one-dollar bills, and the three twenties.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Any individual disagreeing with how much a one-dollar bill is worth won't easily get anyone else to agree.

    Blog text (7)
  • He reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled one dollar bill to pay for the coffee.

  • During the game, players exchanged one dollar bills for chips at the casino table.

  • She found a one dollar bill on the sidewalk while walking to the store.

Synonyms

buck
vsone dollar bill
  • Informal
2.6

A US one dollar bill or coin

is a casual alternative to the standard paper note term
dollar
vsone dollar bill
589 1.0

A piece of paper money or a coin worth 100 cents

refers only to the paper version, not to coins
dollar bill
vsone dollar bill
  • US
72 1.0

A piece of paper money worth one US dollar

is the same paper note but used in several countries
clam
vsone dollar bill
  • Slang
19 9.6

An informal US word for one dollar

is more playful and informal than the standard paper note name
greenback
vsone dollar bill
  • US
15 5.2

A paper U.S. dollar bill used as money

is broader and covers the one unit paper note in different countries
United States dollar
vsone dollar bill
1 1.0

The unit of money used in the United States, equal to 100 cents

is the physical paper that represents that monetary unit

How Valuable

ten dollar bill
  • US
3 1.0
five dollar bill
  • US
4 1.0
one dollar bill
  • US
4 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

one + dollar + bill

The meaning 'a piece of paper currency worth one dollar' is directly and literally composed from 'one' (the numeral), 'dollar' (the currency unit), and 'bill' (paper money). This straightforward, compositional noun phrase follows common cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

One dollar bill comes from the simple idea of a paper bill that shows the number one to mean it is worth one dollar. So it literally means 'a single paper note worth one dollar' and is used to buy small things.