halpeni
Middle English edit
Alternative forms edit
- halfpeni, halfpani, alfpeni, halpenie, halpenei, halpani, alpeni, hapeni, helpeni
- Plural:
- (without loss of final vowel, whence modern halfpennies) halpenis, halpenes, halfpenies, halpeniges
- (with loss of final vowel, whence modern halfpence) halpens, halpans, halpons, alpens, halfpens
Etymology edit
From Late Old English halpenige, equivalent to half + peny (“penny”).
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
halpeni (plural halpenis)
- a halfpenny (often given in charity)
- (biblical, Goddes halpenī) a coin from biblical times, a small foreign coin
- (nautical, galeie halpenī) a small foreign coin
- (halpenī of gold) an English gold coin worth five shillings, equivalent to a crown
- (used in compounds, attributive) costing a halfpenny, weighing as much as halfpenny
Descendants edit
References edit
- “hal-penī, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.