toman

A shopkeeper counts a stack of toman notes at his market stall.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Historical currency: "toman" refers to a unit of currency formerly used in Iran, equal to 10,000 dinars or 10 rials. It was commonly used in Iran until the 20th century and remains a colloquial term for a large sum of money.
   • Modern informal usage: In contemporary Iran, "toman" is often used informally to denote 10 Iranian rials, though the official currency is the rial. For example, when someone says "1000 tomans," they typically mean 10,000 rials.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The merchant quoted the price as 50 tomans for the rug. (A historical reference to the currency unit.)
  • In the bazaar, they often say "10 tomans" instead of "100 rials." (Informal modern usage in Iran.)

Advanced Usage

• "toman as a unit of account": In historical contexts, the toman was used for large transactions, such as land purchases or government salaries.
  • The annual tax was set at 200 tomans per household. (A specific amount in the historical currency.)

Variants and Related Words

• Toman (as a coin): A gold coin worth one toman, minted in Iran during the Qajar and Pahlavi eras.
  • The museum displayed a gold toman from the 19th century. (A physical coin representing the currency.)

Synonyms

• Rial: the official currency of Iran, of which the toman is a multiple.
• Dinar: a unit of currency in some countries, historically related to the toman's sub-unit.

Related Idioms

• "Not worth a toman": a colloquial phrase meaning something is worthless or of little value.
  • That old promise is not worth a toman. (It has no value or credibility.)