noun
- Also sheqel. a paper money, cupronickel or silver coin, and monetary unit of Israel equal to 100 agorot: replaced the pound in 1980.
- 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.
- a coin of this weight, especially the chief silver coin of the ancient Hebrews.
- shekels, Slang. money; cash.
noun
- the standard monetary unit of modern Israel, divided into 100 agorot
- any of several former coins and units of weight of the Near East
- (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.