Sou: meaning, definitions and examples

Etymology

• The word 'sou' comes from the French 'sous', which referred to a small coin used in France.
• It originally represented a coin worth one fifth of a livre, a historic currency unit in France.
• The term has also been used in various English texts to indicate something cheap or of little value.

Historical Usage

• In 17th-century England, it was common to refer to a sou as merely a pittance, demonstrating its perceived low worth.
• Sou coins were used in the early modern period in French-speaking regions, often for everyday transactions.
• In some parts of the world, particularly in colonial India, 'sou' referred to coins used in local markets.

Cultural References

• In Charles Dickens' works, characters occasionally refer to 'sous' to convey scarcity of money, emphasizing the economic struggles of the time.
• The term has slipped into idiomatic phrases, showing up in expressions about saving or earning just enough.
• In some cultures, mentioning 'sou' can carry a nostalgic sense of days when coins symbolized hard work and small markets.

Modern Usage

• Today, 'sou' is often colloquially used to suggest something that is worthless or inexpensive, especially in social conversations.
• Certain regions of India still use the term 'sou' to represent local currencies, linking back to historic trade practices.
• With the rise of digital currency, vocabulary like 'sou' highlights our shift from physical coins to virtual transactions.

Positioned at #23,071, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.

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• 23068 adulation
• 23069 factually
• 23070 ethnological
• 23071 sou
• 23072 covertly
• 23073 diagrammatic
• 23074 sickened
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