guinea

guin-ea · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A former British gold coin worth 21 shillings (one pound and one shilling).

  2. 2.

    (historical) A unit of currency equal to 21 shillings, still used in some British contexts for pricing luxury goods.

Forms

plural: guineas

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    guinea pig — A small rodent used in experiments; also, a person used as a test subject
  • •
    guinea fowl — A bird native to Africa

Related words

See also: currency, pound, shilling

Etymology

Named after the Guinea region of West Africa, from where the gold for the first coins came. The Portuguese Guine referred to the coastal region of West Africa.