The former monetary unit of Italy and current monetary unit of Turkey, subdivided into smaller denominations.
From Latin 'libra' meaning pound or balance, the same root that gives us the abbreviation 'lb' for pound. The word spread throughout Mediterranean countries as they adopted weight-based currency systems, with each region adapting the pronunciation slightly.
The Italian lira was one of the weakest major currencies before the euro - by 2001, it took about 2000 lire to equal one US dollar, making mental math at Italian restaurants quite an adventure for tourists. The Turkish lira has faced similar challenges, leading to multiple redenominations throughout its history.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.