Meaning & use
money orders
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“money orders” is a form of “money order”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nounplural
Documents bought for a set amount of money that the person named on them can exchange for that sum, used instead of cheques or cash.
Grammar: Plural form of money order: they accept money orders.
Patterns
- pay by money order
- buy a money order
The landlord only accepts money orders, not personal cheques.
She bought two money orders at the post office to pay her bills.
Some online sellers refuse money orders because they are hard to trace.
Word forms
| singular | money order |
|---|
Common combinations
- buy money orders
- You can buy money orders at most post offices.
- cash a money order
- She went to the bank to cash a money order.
- pay by money order
- They asked her to pay by money order.
- international money order
- He sent an international money order to his cousin.
- accept money orders
- The shop does not accept money orders.
Synonyms and how they differ
- postal order
- Postal order is the British term, sold by post offices, while money order is the usual American term.
- bank draft
- A bank draft is issued by a bank and often used for larger sums, while money orders are for small amounts.
- cashier's check
- A cashier's check is also guaranteed by a bank but is used for bigger sums than most money orders.
Word family
- money order noun
- one such document
- money noun
- what is used to buy things
- order noun
- an instruction to pay or supply
Commonly confused: money orders or wire transfer?
money orders vs wire transfer
A wire transfer moves money electronically between accounts, while a money order is a paper document.
Practice
Why might a seller ask for money orders instead of personal checks?
Choose one answer.
A money order is bought in advance, so it is guaranteed. The other options are not true features of money orders.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “money orders”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.