pièce de dix sous
The French word for a dime is pièce de dix sous.
This term refers to a coin worth one-tenth of a dollar.
Meaning: a coin worth one-tenth of a dollar (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec (Canadian French), the term dix sous is commonly used to describe a dime.
Did you know?
- In French, the word sou is used in the idiom ne pas avoir un sou, which means to be completely broke.
- The word sous comes from the Latin subtus, meaning 'from below'. This refers to the coin's status as the lowest denomination of currency.
- While sous is used for the dime, the word sou was historically the basic unit of currency in France before the decimal system was introduced.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are looking for change in a bag.
- GabrielChloé, as-tu vu ma pièce de dix sous ?Chloé, have you seen my dime?
- ChloéOui, elle est ici dans le sac.Yes, it is here in the bag.
- GabrielMerci, j'en ai besoin pour le distributeur.Thanks, I need it for the machine.
- ChloéDe rien, Gabriel.You're welcome, Gabriel.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, dix, pièce, sous, CC BY-SA 4.0.
