Definition

Noun: 1. The basic monetary unit of Mauritania: The ouguiya is the official currency of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. It is subdivided into 5 khoums.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The price for the souvenir was fifty ouguiya.
  • The Mauritanian ouguiya was introduced in 1973, replacing the CFA franc.
  • He exchanged his dollars for local ouguiya at the bank.

Advanced Usage

• The ouguiya is unique among world currencies as it is one of only two non-decimal currencies currently in circulation, being divided into 5 khoums instead of a base of 10 or 100.
• The currency code for the ouguiya is MRU.

Variants and Related Words

• Khoums (noun): The fractional unit of the ouguiya. One ouguiya equals five khoums.

Synonyms

• Mauritanian currency
• MRU (the three-letter ISO currency code)

Notes on Meaning

• The term ouguiya refers specifically to the currency itself. It is not used as a general term for money or wealth.
• When speaking about amounts, the word ouguiya is used for both singular and plural forms (e.g., one ouguiya, ten ouguiya).

Noun

1. the basic unit of money in Mauritania