Coupons

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A printed or digital discount voucher that can be redeemed for reductions on various goods or services
2. An offer, often distributed through mail or online, providing a price reduction or deal on purchases
3. Documents or codes allowing purchasers to obtain a lower price on products or services

Etymology: "Coupons" is the plural of "coupon", and the singular is a French word meaning a cut-off piece, from "couper", "to cut". The original sense was literal: a coupon was a section cut off from a larger certificate or document, which is why the word ended up attached to the detachable slip of paper that can be torn away and redeemed. The sense of a voucher that gives a price reduction grew out of that detachable strip. A bond or share certificate might carry a row of attached slips, each one cut off and presented to collect interest or a payment, and the same mechanism came to represent a promise of value on a separate piece of paper. Discount coupons inherit that logic: the printed portion is torn off and handed over at the till.

Synonyms: vouchers, discounts, certificates