penny

/ˈpɛni/

/ˈpɛni/

Other forms: pence; pennies

It takes a hundred pennies to make a dollar. Even though it doesn't have a heck of a lot of value, a penny may bring you luck if you pick it up (as the saying goes).

In the US, a penny is a one-cent, copper-colored coin, which features Abraham Lincoln's profile on one side. Many countries' currencies include pennies as the very smallest unit of money, including Canada, Britain, and South Africa. While the plural form of penny is pence in the UK, and it's often abbreviated as p there, in North America the plural is commonly pennies — and sometimes cents.

Definitions of penny

1. noun

   a coin worth one-hundredth of the value of the basic unit
   synonyms: cent, centime

   types:

   copper

   a copper penny

   new penny

   a coin used in Great Britain since 1971 worth one hundredth of a pound

   type of:

   coin

   a flat metal piece (usually a disc) used as money
2. noun

   a fractional monetary unit of Ireland and the United Kingdom; equal to one hundredth of a pound
   type of:

   fractional monetary unit, subunit

   a monetary unit that is valued at a fraction (usually one hundredth) of the basic monetary unit