Symbols
What is the origin of the dollar sign ($)? |
|
Many suggestions have been made about the origin of the dollar symbol
$, one of the commonest being that it derives from the figure 8,
representing the Spanish 'piece of eight'. However, it actually
derives from a handwritten 'ps', an abbreviation for 'peso' in old
Spanish-American books. The $ symbol first occurs in the 1770s, in
manuscript documents of English-Americans who had business dealing
with Spanish-Americans, and it starts to appear in print after 1800.
The name 'dollar', however, derives from the Dutch or Low German word daler
(in German taler or thaler) - originally Joachimstaler,
referring to a coin from the silver mines of Joachimstal, in Bohemia (now Jáchymov
in the Czech Republic), which opened in 1516.
Other questions in this section:
Is there a name for the dot above the i?
Does the '¢' in the US cent sign stand for 'cent'?
What are the correct terms for the forward and backslash as used in computing languages, Web addresses etc.?
What is the name for the # symbol?
What is the origin of the '@' sign?
What is the origin of the dollar sign ($)?
What is the origin of the pound sign (£)?
Can't find the answer to your English Language question?
Browse Oxford's extensive range of language reference titles, or
Send your query to the Oxford Word and Language Service
Printer Friendly Version
