Where does “penny” come from?

Penny comes from Middle English peni, from Old English penning, from Proto-Germanic panningaz, ultimately derived from a root meaning a coin or piece of metal used as currency.

penny (English): In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a copper coin...

Definitions

  1. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a copper coin...

Ancestry of “penny”, step by step

penny traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Penelope

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishPenelopeThe faithful wife of Odysseus
2Ancient GreekΠηνελόπη—
3Ancient Greekπηνέλοψkind of particoloured duck

via Middle English peny

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishpenyA penny or other silver coin including ancient coins
2Old Englishpenningpenny
3Proto-Germanicpanningaza coin, penny

Words derived from “penny”

Every word from Ancient Greek πηνέλοψ →