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Halfpenny

//ˈheɪp(ə)ni// name, noun

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname transferred from the nickname.
Noun
  1. 1
    Senses chiefly with the plural form halfpennies.; A discontinued English (later British) coin worth half of one penny (old or new). UK, also, attributive, historical

    "There vvere none principal, they vvere all like one another, as halfe pence are, euerie one fault ſeeming monſtrous, til his fellovv-fault came to match it."

  2. 2
    an English coin worth half a penny wordnet
  3. 3
    Senses chiefly with the plural form halfpennies.; A similar coin formerly used in Ireland and Scotland. Ireland, Scotland, also, attributive, broadly, historical
  4. 4
    Senses chiefly with the plural form halfpence.; An amount of money that the English (later British) coin was worth. UK, also, attributive, historical

    "There ſhall be in England, ſeuen halfe peny Loaues ſold for a peny: the three hoop'd pot, ſhall haue ten hoopes, and I vvill make it Fellony to drink ſmall Beere."

  5. 5
    Senses chiefly with the plural form halfpence.; An amount of money that the Irish or Scottish coin was worth. Ireland, Scotland, also, attributive, broadly, historical
Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    A postage stamp worth half of one penny. broadly, historical
  2. 7
    A usually semicircular earmark made in the ear of a livestock animal. Australia, US, archaic, broadly
  3. 8
    A small piece; a fragment. broadly, figuratively, obsolete

    "O ſhe tore the letter into a thouſand halfpence, raild at her ſelf, that ſhe ſhould be ſo immodeſt to vvrite, to one that ſhe knevv vvould flout her, […]"

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English halpeni, halfpeni (“English coin worth half a penny; coin used in biblical times; small foreign coin”), and then either: * from half (“half”) (from Old English healf; ultimate etymology unknown, possible from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- (“to incline”) or *(s)kelH- (“to cut; to separate, split”)) + peni, penni (“English coin; coin used in biblical times; foreign coin; (especially in the plural) cash, money; pennyweight”) (from Old English penning, from Proto-Germanic *panningaz (“coin, penny”); further etymology uncertain); or * from Late Old English halpene, halpenige (which can also be construed as early Middle English), from healf + penning (see above). By surface analysis, half + penny.

Etymology 2

From halfpenny, a nickname for a tenant.

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