Definition

Noun: - A U.S. government agency responsible for designing and producing currency: The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is the agency within the United States Department of the Treasury that designs, engraves, and prints all Federal Reserve notes (paper currency), as well as other security documents like Treasury securities.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The new banknote design was finalized by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
  • Tours of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, D.C., are popular with visitors.

Advanced Usage

• Often abbreviated as BEP: The agency is commonly referred to by its initials.
  • The BEP announced updated security features for the $20 bill.

Variants and Related Words

• Engraver (noun): A person or machine that cuts designs into a surface, especially in the context of printing currency.
• Security printing (noun): The field of printing that involves producing documents like currency, passports, and stamps that are resistant to forgery.

Synonyms

• Government mint: While a mint produces coins, this term is sometimes used informally for currency-producing agencies.
• Currency printer: A descriptive, non-official term for the agency's primary function.

Notes on Meaning

This term refers specifically to a single, official U.S. government agency. It is a proper noun and is typically capitalized. It does not refer to a generic type of business or a private printing company.

Noun

1. the agency of the Treasury Department that produces currency