Perpera

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A gold coin of the medieval Byzantine Empire and Balkan states, used as a unit of trade and account
2. An old gold currency minted in medieval Constantinople and later adopted in parts of the Balkans
3. A medieval gold money unit circulated across Byzantine and Balkan lands during the Middle Ages

Etymology: "Perpera" is the plural of "perper," a gold coin of the Byzantine Empire. Its story is tied to Constantinople, where the coin was struck for centuries as the empire's standard gold currency, prized across the Mediterranean and beyond for its reliable weight and purity. The singular "perper" is the form most English readers will meet first in historical writing, while "perpera" is the plural that appears when several coins are being counted. The pairing mirrors how the word was used in the medieval Greek and Slavic-speaking world, where the coin circulated widely and its name became a unit of account for large sums.