The Dollar Is Named After a Bohemian Valley
A dollar is the currency of many countries. The name traces to silver coins minted in a valley in Bohemia.
The dollar is the currency unit of the United States and many other countries. Its name comes from a place: silver from Joachimsthal in Bohemia was minted into coins called *Joachimsthaler*, shortened to *thaler*. Dutch traders said *daler*, and English made it *dollar*. The valley is now Jáchymov in the Czech Republic.
- A currency unit. *Five dollars.*
- The symbol. *The dollar sign.*
- Dollar as a modifier. *A dollar bill.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | dollar | One dollar. |
| Plural | dollars | Ten dollars. |
| Symbol | $ | $50. |
| Related | thaler | A silver thaler. |
| Related | cent | Fifty cents. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The dollar strengthened against the euro.Foreign exchange.
- Over twenty countries use a dollar.Including Canada, Australia and Singapore.
- The buck stops here.Buck is American slang for a dollar.
Currency names from places and things
- Dollar — from Joachimsthal in Bohemia
- Pound — a pound weight of silver
- Peso — Spanish for weight
- Rand — from the Witwatersrand in South Africa
- Franc — from a Latin inscription meaning king of the Franks
From Low German *daler*, from German *Thaler*, short for *Joachimsthaler*, a coin from Joachimsthal. The dollar sign's origin is disputed.
Where does the dollar sign come from?
The likeliest explanation is a shorthand for the Spanish peso, with the S and P merging. Other theories exist and none is proven.
Why is a dollar called a buck?
Probably from buckskins, which were traded as a unit of value on the American frontier.