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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
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
And Bhutan El Salvador is famous for becoming the first country to adopt bitcoin as legal tender, integrating it into several national projects aimed at stimulating economic growth and reducing debt.
—Marie Poteriaieva, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for legal tender
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'legal tender.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 5 Nov. 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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