monaco

Syllable Decomposition

monaco

(1680) Antonomasia of monaco. In 1837 and 1838, Prince Honoré V of Monaco issued coins mainly of copper ("sous") with his effigy, which he attempted to circulate in France starting from Marseille without prior negotiation with the French government: although of good quality, these coins fell into disrepute. Hence the popular meaning of "suspect Monegasque currency" and then "penny in general". Jacques Cellard and Alain Rey consider the term "[o]ld or out of use after 1930".

Definitions

numismatique

Synonym

tango

Plural

monacos

See also