Rupiahs

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A form of currency typically used in Indonesia, often referenced in financial contexts
2. The monetary unit of Indonesia, subdivided into smaller denominations, commonly exchanged in various transactions
3. A unit of exchange in Indonesia, representing a specific value used for trade and commerce

Etymology: The plural "rupiahs" is simply the English plural of "rupiah," the name of Indonesia's currency. The noun traces back to the Sanskrit "rupyaka," a silver coin, itself formed from "rupya," meaning wrought silver. That sense of silver as the metal of value is the root of the whole family of words. The name passed through Pali, the language of early Buddhist texts, as "rupiya," still meaning silver. It is a close relative of "rupee," the currency of India and Pakistan, and both words descend from the same Sanskrit source, making them doublets. The Indonesian form "rupiah" was then borrowed into English, and the plural is formed in the ordinary way by adding "s."