cambistry

English

Etymology

By surface analysis, cambist +‎ -ry.

Noun

cambistry (uncountable)

1. The science of exchange, weight, measures, etc. in regard to trade and commerce, especially concerning foreign currency exchange.
   • 1898, Report of the Commissioner of Education, page 216:

     On the other hand, we miss in the course such subjects as cambistry (science of exchange) , political economy, as well as some essential features of bookkeeping and accounting, the importance of which is beyond question in commercial practice.

   • 1908, William Tate, Tate's Modern Cambist, page v:

     The science of exchange, or, to use the old word, cambistry, has always been a subject of great importance.

   • 1991, Glenn Gaywaine Munn, Charles J. Woelfel, The St. James Encyclopedia of Banking & Finance, page 157:

     Cambistry involves a knowledge of various countries of the world; weights, measures, and fineness of metals used as a basis of coinage in various countries; methods of dealing in bullion; assaying operations; issuance of bills of exchange, international checks, and postal money orders; commercial parities; and computations in the arbitration of exchange.

Related terms

• cambist
• excamb