silver dollar
silver dollar Lexical Profile
• noun
North American A large one-dollar coin historically minted in the United States or Canada, originally composed primarily of silver but later made from base metal alloys.
"The antique dealer carefully examined the 1881 Morgan silver dollar through his magnifying loupe."
American A very small, round pancake that is approximately the size of the large dollar coin, typically cooked in batches and served in stacks.
"For breakfast, the diner served a towering stack of hot silver dollar pancakes drowned in maple syrup and butter."
A peaceful, schooling freshwater fish of the characin family (Metynnis argenteus or similar species), native to South American river basins and named for its laterally compressed, round, and silvery appearance.
"The tropical aquarium was beautifully illuminated, highlighting the iridescent scales of the silver dollars as they swam in a synchronized group."
Word Nuance & Usage
While originally named for being struck from actual silver alloys, modern United States dollar coins often contain no actual silver, yet the term persists colloquially for large-format one-dollar coins.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the United States in the late 18th century, referring to the large one-dollar coins authorized by the Coinage Act of 1792, which were originally minted with specific silver weights.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.