WordGarden.iopence
A2Pronunciation
UK
- /pˈɛns/
US
- /ˈpɛns/
Meanings
Noun
British money in units of pennies
Beyond the definition
When you hear pence (pronounced "pens"), it means more than one penny, the smallest unit of British money. It works a lot like "cents" in American English. If something costs 50p, that means it costs fifty pence. While people often talk about pounds (£), many everyday prices include just a few pence. A useful detail is that "pennies" often means the actual coins, while pence usually means the value or amount. Sometimes the word is also used to suggest a very small amount, especially when talking about cost.
The word has been in English for a very long time. So when you see British prices, think of pence as the small parts that add up to one pound.
"Pence" is the plural form of "penny," the smallest unit of currency in the United Kingdom. While the value of a single penny is quite low in today's economy, the 1p coin remains in circulation. You will constantly see prices listed in pence—for example, a chocolate bar might cost 80p, meaning eighty pence. It's important to remember that the "pound" (£) is the main currency unit, and there are exactly 100 pence in one pound.
Historically, pence were part of a much more complex system. Before decimalization in 1971, British money involved 12 pence to a shilling and 20 shillings to a pound. Today's system is much simpler, but the term pence remains the standard way to describe an amount in pennies. In everyday English, there is often a useful distinction: you might have "five pennies" in your pocket if you mean five coins, but the bread you buy costs "seventy-five pence" if you mean the total value.
Beyond currency, pence can sometimes be used figuratively to describe a very small amount. For example, someone might say that a price difference is only "a few pence," meaning it is very small and hardly matters.
So, whether you're calculating the cost of your tea and biscuits or describing something insignificant, pence represents both a specific monetary unit and a symbol of smallness—the essential tiny pieces that form a larger whole.
Examples
- 1
Bus fare
The bus fare went up by ten pence.
- 2
Small coins
I found a few pence in the bottom of my bag.
- 3
Price label
The label said 99p, but the cashier said “ninety-nine pence.”
- Usage
99p is read as “ninety-nine pence” or “ninety-nine pee” in British English
- 4
Call charges
Calls cost 12 pence per minute.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Singular amount
It costs one penny, not one pence.
- Grammar
Use penny with one, and pence with larger amounts
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- pencenoun