Twonie

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A colloquial term for the Canadian two-dollar coin featuring a distinctive bimetallic design ; a small monetary unit used primarily in Canadian currency transactions ; an informal name commonly used to refer to a specific coin circulating in Canada
2. An informal designation for a coin worth two Canadian dollars characterized by its unique metal composition ; a piece of Canadian currency used in everyday financial exchanges ; a casual term for the official bi-metal two-dollar coin in Canada
3. A popular nickname for the two-dollar coin in Canada, known for its two metals and specific imagery ; a currency denomination used in Canada, typically in coin form ; a commonly used informal expression referring to the Canadian coin worth two dollars

Etymology: The Canadian two-dollar coin is a blend of "two" and "loonie," the nickname for the one-dollar coin that carries a loon on its reverse. The loonie got its name in the 1980s, when the bird became the emblem of the new coin, and the two-dollar coin followed the pattern. Its spelling "twonie" is an alternative to the more common "toonie," which sounds the same, so the spelling simply reflects how people pronounce it. The blend works the way many playful coinages do: two short pieces combine so that the new word echoes the old one. Anyone familiar with "loonie" can recognise the shape of "toonie" immediately, and the word needs no explanation to a Canadian audience.

Synonyms: two-dollar coin, toonie, two-dollar piece