shekels









shekels


noun

  1. Also sheqel. a paper money, cupronickel or silver coin, and monetary unit of Israel equal to 100 agorot: replaced the pound in 1980.
  2. an ancient, originally Babylonian, unit of weight, of varying value, taken as equal to the fiftieth or the sixtieth part of a mina or to about a quarter to half an ounce.
  3. a coin of this weight, especially the chief silver coin of the ancient Hebrews.
  4. shekels, Slang. money; cash.

noun

  1. the standard monetary unit of modern Israel, divided into 100 agorot
  2. any of several former coins and units of weight of the Near East
  3. (often plural) informal any coin or money

n.early 13c., sicle, via Old French and Latin, from Hebrew sheqel, from shaqal “he weighed.” Chief silver coin of ancient Hebrews, also a unit of weight. Modern form in English dates from mid-16c. As slang for “money,” it dates from 1871.

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