I. ˈkȯin noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French coing wedge, corner, from Latin cuneus wedge
Date: 14th century
1. archaic
a. : corner , cornerstone , quoin
b. : wedge
2.
a. : a usually flat piece of metal issued by governmental authority as money
b. : metal money
c. : something resembling a coin especially in shape
3. : something used as if it were money (as in verbal or intellectual exchange)
perhaps wisecracks…are respectable literary coin in the United States — Times Literary Supplement
would repay him with the full coin of his mind — Ian Fleming
4. : something having two different and usually opposing sides — usually used in the phrase the other side of the coin
5. : money
I'm in it for the coin — Sinclair Lewis
II. transitive verb
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : to make (a coin) especially by stamping : mint
b. : to convert (metal) into coins
2. : create , invent
coin a phrase
• coin·er ˈkȯi-nər noun
•
- coin money
III. adjective
Date: circa 1566
1. : of or relating to coins
2. : operated by coins