halfpenny

[ hey-puh-nee, heyp-nee ]
/ ˈheɪ pə ni, ˈheɪp ni /

noun, plural half·pen·nies for 1; half·pence [hey-puh ns] /ˈheɪ pəns/ for 2.

a bronze coin of the United Kingdom, equal to half a penny: use phased out in 1984.
the sum of half a penny.

adjective

of the price or value of a halfpenny.
of little value; worthless: a halfpenny matter.
British Informal. (of newspapers) sensational, especially morbidly or offensively so.

Origin of halfpenny

First recorded in 1225–75, halfpenny is from the Middle English word halfpeny, halpeny. See half, penny

Words nearby halfpenny

halfbeak, halfhearted, halfhourly, halfies, halfmoon, halfpenny, halfpennyworth, halfsies, halftime, halftone, halfway

Example sentences from the Web for halfpenny

British Dictionary definitions for halfpenny

halfpenny

ha'penny

/ (ˈheɪpnɪ, for sense 1 ˈhɑːfˌpɛnɪ) /

noun

Also called: half plural -pennies a small British coin worth half a new penny, withdrawn from circulation in 1985
plural -pennies an old British coin worth half an old penny
plural -pence the sum represented by half a penny
plural -pence something of negligible value
(modifier) having the value or price of a halfpenny
(modifier) of negligible value