Definition

1. Noun:
   • A former basic unit of money in Italy: The lira was the official currency of Italy until it was replaced by the euro in 2002. It was subdivided into 100 centesimi.
   • The basic unit of money in Turkey: The Turkish lira (symbol: ₺) is the official currency of Turkey and Northern Cyprus.
   • The basic unit of money on Malta (until 2008): The Maltese lira was the currency of Malta until it adopted the euro. It was subdivided into 100 cents.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The old book was priced at 10,000 Italian lira.
  • I need to exchange my dollars for Turkish lira before my trip to Istanbul.
  • Before the euro, prices in Malta were listed in lira and cents.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Financial Context: The term is often used in historical or economic texts when discussing the former currencies of Italy or Malta, or the current economy of Turkey.
  • The Italian lira experienced significant devaluation in the 1990s.
  • Investors are watching the fluctuations of the Turkish lira closely.

Variants and Related Words

• Lire: The plural form, commonly used for the Italian currency.
  • He had a collection of old Italian lire.
• Liras: An alternative plural form, sometimes used, especially for the Turkish currency.
  • The cost was fifty Turkish liras.

Synonyms

• Currency: A system of money in general use in a particular country.
• Monetary unit: The standard unit of value of a currency.

Related Phrases

• Lira sign: The symbol for the Turkish lira (₺).
  • The price is written as ₺100.
• Lira banknote: A piece of paper money denominated in lira.
  • She paid with a crisp new lira banknote.

Notes on Different Meanings

• The meaning is entirely dependent on the national context (Italian, Turkish, or Maltese). The word itself does not change, but the specific currency it refers to is determined by the accompanying adjective (e.g., lira) or the context of the sentence.
• All three meanings refer to a basic unit of currency for a nation.

Noun

1. formerly the basic unit of money in Italy; equal to 100 centesimi
2. the basic unit of money in Turkey
3. the basic unit of money on Malta; equal to 100 cents