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penny

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(pen′ē)

noun pl. pennies

in the United Kingdom and certain other countries,
1. a monetary unit equal to of a pound
  in full new penny: abbrev. p
2. before 1971, a monetary unit equal to of a shilling: abbrev. d
3. a coin worth one penny
☆ a U.S. or Canadian cent
any of several other low-value coins, as a denarius
a sum of money: now chiefly in the following phrases

Origin: ME peny < OE penig, pening, akin to Ger pfennig: < ? early WGmc borrowing < L pannus, cloth: see pawn

costing a (specified) number of pennies
having a size designated as (a specified number): a sixpenny nail is larger than a fourpenny nail, but the numbers in their designations do not specify units of length, weight, etc.

See penny in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. pen·nies

In the United States and Canada, the coin that is worth one cent.
pl. pence (pĕns)
a. Abbr. p. A coin used in Great Britain since 1971, worth ¹/₁₀₀ of a pound. Also called new penny.
b. Abbr. d. A coin formerly used in Great Britain, worth ¹/₁₂ of a shilling or ¹/₂₄₀ of a pound.
c. A coin formerly used in the Republic of Ireland, worth ¹/₁₀₀ of a pound.
d. A coin used in various dependent territories of the United Kingdom.
Any of various coins of small denomination.
A sum of money.
One of a set of colored, usually sleeveless shirts worn as a temporary team uniform, as when scrimmaging.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English, an English coin

Origin: , from Old English penig

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