Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
piece-of-eight
noun
ˈpēs əv ˈāt
Definition
A historical Spanish silver coin that was widely used in trade, especially during the 16th to 19th centuries.
Examples
- The captain paid the crew with a piece-of-eight for their hard work.
- In many pirate stories, a hidden treasure is often described as being filled with piece-of-eight coins.
- During the colonial period, piece-of-eight was a common form of currency in the Americas.
Meaning
The term piece-of-eight refers to a specific type of coin that was cut into eight pieces, which could be used as smaller currency. These coins played a significant role in international trade during their time.
Synonyms
- Spanish dollar
- real de a ocho
- eight bits
