Toonies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A two-dollar coin used in Canada, often made of bi-metallic material and recognized by its distinctive two-tone appearance
2. A currency type that is commonly accepted for various transactions within Canadian commerce
3. This coin is especially notable for featuring Canadian symbols and is a part of the nation's change-making system

Etymology: Toonies is the plural of "toonie," the nickname for Canada's two-dollar coin, and it is a blend of "two" and "loonie." That makes the word a kind of family portrait: the loonie, Canada's one-dollar coin, is named after the common loon waterbird pictured on its reverse, and the toonie swaps in the "two" of its face value. The pattern is simple once you see it. Blending two words by fusing the start of one with the end of another, or by overlapping their sounds, produces a new term that carries both meanings at once. Here the first part, "two," supplies the value, while "loonie" supplies the coinage tradition it belongs to. The word is thus a Canadian-currency coinage built from a plain English number and an existing nickname, rather than a term with deep roots in older English.