Groschen

/ɡroʊʃən/ noun

Definition

A former monetary unit used in various German-speaking countries; a historical coin.

Etymology

From German 'Groschen,' ultimately derived from Medieval Latin 'grossus denarius' (thick coin or large coin). The word traveled from Latin to Germanic languages as a coin name.

Kelly Says

The groschen's name reveals medieval economics—'grossus' meant 'thick,' and thick coins were valuable! The word eventually became the name for the coin itself, showing how physical properties of objects can become their names.

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