halfpenny

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See also: Halfpenny

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From the Middle English halpeni, either from the late-Old English halpenige or from half +‎ peni. By surface analysis, half +‎ penny and continually reinforced by it.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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halfpenny (plural halfpennies or halfpence)

  1. (plural: halfpennies) (historical) A discontinued British coin worth half of one penny (old or new).
    • Christmas is coming (traditional carol)
      If you haven't got a penny, / A ha'penny will do, / If you haven't got a ha'penny, / Then God bless you.
  2. (plural: halfpence) A quantity of money worth half a penny.
    • c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
      There were none principal; they were all like one another as halfpence are; every one fault seeming monstrous till his fellow fault came to match it.
    • 1848, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair:
      "If a pound of mutton-candles cost sevenpence-halfpenny, how much must Dobbin cost?"

Derived terms

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Translations

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Adjective

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halfpenny (not comparable)

  1. Costing or worth one halfpenny.