Tenner

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈtɛnə(ɹ)/

Definitions

1. A colloquial expression for a ten-pound banknote in the UK, it signifies a monetary denomination of ten units
2. A British paper currency note valued at ten pounds ; a ten-dollar banknote used in various countries like the United States
3. A banknote issued in the United Kingdom worth ten pounds sterling ; a currency note equivalent to ten dollars often used in the US

Etymology: A tenner is simply ten, with a suffix stuck on the end. The "-er" comes from Old English "-ere," a suffix that formed nouns for people or things connected with a number or activity, and it is the same ending found in words like "fiver" and "hundreder." Ten plus this suffix gave a name for anything valued at ten units, and the word attached itself to the ten-pound note first. The suffix has a longer ancestry than its English form suggests. It descends from Latin "-arius," which passed through Old French "-ier" and reached English in Middle English as "-er," so the ending that makes a tenner was originally a Latin marker for an agent or occupant. The formation is plain and transparent, which is why the word needs no further explanation once you see the parts.

Synonyms: ten-dollar bill, note, currency, cash, bill