teston

noun

tes·​ton ˈte-ˌstän How to pronounce teston (audio)
variants or testoon or less commonly tester
: any of several old European coins: such as
a
: a shilling of Henry VIII of England decreasing in value to ninepence and then to sixpence in Shakespeare's time
b
: a French silver coin of the 16th century worth between 10 and 14¹/₂ sous

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, from Old Italian testone, augmentative of testa head, from Late Latin, skull — more at tester entry 2

First Known Use

1536, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of teston was in 1536

Dictionary Entries Near teston

Cite this Entry

“Teston.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teston. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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