Greenback: meaning, definitions and examples

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greenback

[ ˈɡriːn.bæk ]

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currency

A greenback is a slang term for the US dollar, referring to the color of the back of the bill. The term originated during the American Civil War when the US government issued paper currency with green ink on the back. Greenbacks are legal tender in the United States and are widely used in daily transactions.

Synonyms

Examples of usage

Can you break a hundred-dollar bill into smaller greenbacks?
She paid for her coffee with a handful of greenbacks.
The vending machine only accepts greenbacks, not coins.
The cashier counted out the greenbacks carefully.
I prefer to carry greenbacks instead of using a credit card.

Translations

Translations of the word "greenback" in other languages:

🇵🇹 dólar americano

🇮🇳 अमेरिकी डॉलर

🇩🇪 US-Dollar

🇮🇩 dolar Amerika

🇺🇦 долар США

🇵🇱 dolar amerykański

🇯🇵 アメリカドル

🇫🇷 dollar américain

🇪🇸 dólar estadounidense

🇹🇷 Amerikan doları

🇰🇷 미국 달러

🇸🇦 الدولار الأمريكي

🇨🇿 americký dolar

🇸🇰 americký dolár

🇨🇳 美元

🇸🇮 ameriški dolar

🇮🇸 Bandaríkjadollar

🇰🇿 АҚШ доллары

🇬🇪 ამერიკული დოლარი

🇦🇿 ABŞ dolları

🇲🇽 dólar estadounidense

Word origin

The term 'greenback' originated during the American Civil War in the 1860s when the United States government issued paper currency known as Demand Notes or United States Notes. These notes had green ink on the back, which led to them being called 'greenbacks'. The use of greenbacks helped finance the war effort and stabilize the country's economy. Over time, the term became synonymous with the US dollar in general, regardless of the color of the actual bills.