• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / Language / Where does the word “money” (mint) come from and What does money mean in Latin?

Where does the word “money” (mint) come from and What does money mean in Latin?

May 29, 2020 by Karen Hill

According to legend, during a war when the Romans were hard pressed for the means to carry on their campaign they appealed to the goddess Juno for aid.

They were told that their cause was just and therefore that their resources would be replenished and made ample for their needs.

In grateful appreciation for the victory that followed, we are told, the Romans then erected a temple to Juno , giving it the name Moneta, “the advisor.”

It was in this temple, according to historical records, that in the year 269 B.C., silver coins were first produced by the Romans. These coins, from their place of coinage, were henceforth commonly given the name moneta, to distinguish them from the earlier copper coins.

And it is from this word, through corruptions in sound and spelling in Old French, that we have obtained both our terms money and mint.

From the uncorrupted Latin moneta came the Latin monetarius, “pertaining to the mint,” from which we have derived our word monetary.

Related Facts

  • How does the mint decide what symbols and designs are inscribed on American coins?
  • Why does frost form on the outside of the glass of a Mint Julep after it's mixed?
  • Where does the expression "Dog Latin" come from and What does Dog Latin mean?
  • Where does the phrase "pin money" come from and What does pin money mean?
  • What Does the Phrase "Pin Money" Mean and Why is it Used For Money Wives Got From Their Husband?
  • What Is the Difference Between Latin America and South America and How Many People Live In Latin America?

Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « Who is the month of May named after and Where does the word May come from?
Next Post: Where does the word “meander” originate and What does meander mean? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2021 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy