A former Russian monetary unit worth one hundredth of a ruble.
From Russian kopéyka, possibly derived from Turkic or Mongolian origins. The term has been used since the 14th century in Russia and referred to coins stamped with a rider or spear (kopyo in Old Slavic).
The kopeck featured a horseman with a spear, so some linguists think the name means 'spear coin'—making Soviet-era jokes about 'not worth a kopeck' literally mean 'not worth a spear'!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.