Meaning & use
banknote
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Meaning
nouncountableBritish
A piece of paper money printed by a central bank and used as official currency.
Grammar: Countable: a banknote, two banknotes. In American English, 'bill' is the usual word.
Patterns
- a banknote
- banknotes
- in banknotes
He pulled a twenty-pound banknote from his wallet.
The central bank issued new banknotes with better security features.
She exchanged her coins for banknotes at the counter.
Word forms
| plural | banknotes |
|---|
Common combinations
- a crisp banknote
- He handed over a crisp banknote straight from the ATM.
- counterfeit banknote
- The shop refused the counterfeit banknote.
- issue banknotes
- Only the central bank can issue banknotes.
- in banknotes
- She paid in banknotes rather than by card.
Synonyms and how they differ
- bill
- The usual American word for a banknote; in British English, 'bill' often means an invoice or restaurant check.
- note
- Short for banknote in British English, as in 'a ten-pound note'.
- paper money
- A general term for currency made of paper, not a single piece.
Opposites
Word family
- bank noun
- A financial institution that issues banknotes.
Commonly confused: banknote or bill? banknote or note?
banknote vs bill
In American English, 'bill' means a banknote; in British English, it usually means an invoice or a restaurant check.
banknote vs note
Can mean a banknote in British English, but also a short written message or a musical tone.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'banknote' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A banknote is paper money, so it can be used to pay a bill. The other options confuse 'banknote' with a written note, a heavy object, or a plant.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “banknote”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.