monetary

adjective

mon·​e·​tary ˈmä-nə-ˌter-ē 

 also  ˈmə-

: of or relating to money or to the mechanisms by which it is supplied to and circulates in the economy

a crime committed for monetary gain

a government's monetary policy

monetarily

ˌmä-nə-ˈter-ə-lē 

 also  ˌmə-

adverb

Synonyms

• dollars-and-cents
• financial
• fiscal
• pecuniary
• pocket

Examples of monetary in a Sentence

a crime committed for monetary gain

Gold was once the basis of the U.S. monetary system.

Recent Examples on the Web

If their proposals maintain the same lack of clarity, the U.S. digital asset strategy could prove short-sighted, enabling near-term pumps in altcoins while undercutting more sustainable monetary innovations like bitcoin. —Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025

Gold prices eased on Friday, and were set to post their biggest weekly drop since November 2024, on a stronger dollar, while investors awaited a key U.S. inflation data for cues into the Federal Reserve's monetary policy trajectory. —Anushree Mukherjee, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025

The central bank in January cut interest rates for the fifth time since starting to ease monetary policy last summer and markets are widely pricing in another trim on Thursday. —Sophie Kiderlin, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2025

If aid is only given when a monetary return is guaranteed, then humanitarian assistance, development aid, and disaster relief become endangered species. —Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin monetarius of a mint, of money, from Latin moneta

First Known Use

1663, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing monetary

• monetary aggregate
• monetary unit

Rhymes for monetary

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• beriberi
• breviary
• budgetary
• capillary
• catenary
• cautionary

Kids Definition

monetary

adjective

mon·​e·​tary ˈmän-ə-ˌter-ē 

 also  ˈmən-

: of or relating to money

this administration's monetary policy