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legal tender
noun
: money that is legally valid for the payment of debts and that must be accepted for that purpose when offered
Synonyms
Examples of legal tender in a Sentence
Soon after France adopted the euro, the French franc ceased to be legal tender.
coins and bills are considered legal tender, but postage stamps are not
Recent Examples on the Web
World & Nation How a California surfer helped bring bitcoin to El Salvador
June 22, 2021
There were street protests when the Congress made bitcoin legal tender in June 2021, though that move was not the only motivation for the protesters.
—Marcos Alemán, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024
The slow but steady march of crypto products into mainstream financial systems — El Salvador adopted Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021 — has piqued broader interest in the subject.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 19 Oct. 2024
Countries like El Salvador and regions with economic instability increasingly turn to bitcoin as legal tender or reserve asset.
—Susie Violet Ward, Forbes, 6 Oct. 2024
In June 2019, the government recognized the RTGS dollar as legal tender and rechristened it the new Zimbabwean dollar, while at the same time barring the use of the U.S. dollar.
—Tendai Biti, Foreign Affairs, 20 Aug. 2019
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Word History
First Known Use
circa 1730, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Legal tender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legal%20tender. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
legal tender
noun
: money that the law authorizes for paying debts
Legal Definition
legal tender
noun
: money that is legally valid for the payment of debts and that must be accepted for that purpose when offered
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