Definition

Noun: Specially minted silver coins that are distributed by the British sovereign on Maundy Thursday. This is a traditional almsgiving ceremony, where the monarch gives these coins to elderly recipients in recognition of their service to the community and the church.

Usage

Maundy money is a specific, ceremonial form of currency. It is not used for everyday transactions but is given as a symbolic gift. The term is always used to refer to these specific coins and the associated royal tradition.

Examples

• The number of elderly people receiving Maundy money corresponds to the monarch's age.
• Collectors highly value historic sets of Maundy money.
• The tradition of distributing Maundy money dates back centuries.

Advanced Usage

• "to receive Maundy money": to be a recipient in the Maundy ceremony.
  • She was honored to receive Maundy money from the King.
• "a set of Maundy money": refers to the complete collection of coins (penny, twopence, threepence, and fourpence) given to one recipient.
  • The complete set of Maundy money from 1953 is in the museum.

Variants and Related Words

• Maundy Thursday: The Thursday before Easter, on which the ceremony takes place.
• Royal Maundy: Another name for the ceremony itself.
• Maundy ceremony: The event at which Maundy money is distributed.

Synonyms

• Ceremonial coins
• Alms coins (historical context)

Notes

There are no direct phrasal verbs or idioms associated with this specific noun. It is a proper noun referring to a unique historical and ceremonial object.

Noun

1. specially minted silver coins that are distributed by the British sovereign on Maundy Thursday