What does "halfpenny" mean?
Senses chiefly with the plural form halfpennies.; A discontinued English (later British) coin worth half of one penny (old or new).
Halfpenny
/ˈheɪp(ə)ni/ name, noun
name, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Senses chiefly with the plural form halfpennies.; A discontinued English (later British) coin worth half of one penny (old or new).
- Grammar: halfpenny is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: ha'penny, bagatelle, bauble, bean.
- Useful contrasts: considerable, considerable value, expensive.
- Usage evidence: 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.
How to use "halfpenny"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "halfpenny" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "halfpenny" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "halfpenny" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "halfpenny" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "halfpenny" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ha'penny" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "halfpenny", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 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 an English coin worth half a penny wordnet
- 3 Senses chiefly with the plural form halfpennies.; A similar coin formerly used in Ireland and Scotland. Ireland, Scotland, also, attributive, broadly, historical
- 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 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
- 6 A postage stamp worth half of one penny. broadly, historical
- 7 A usually semicircular earmark made in the ear of a livestock animal. Australia, US, archaic, broadly
- 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, […]"
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname transferred from the nickname.
Antonyms
Example
"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."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "halfpenny"?
Common synonyms include: ha'penny, bagatelle, bauble, bean, bibelot, bit.
How do you use "halfpenny" in a sentence?
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.
How do you pronounce "halfpenny"?
Pronounced /ˈheɪp(ə)ni/.
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.