Guinea
/ˈɡɪn.iə/noun
A former British gold coin worth 21 shillings, or the name of a region on the west coast of Africa.
Did you know?The British guinea coin was named after the Guinea coast of West Africa, from which gold was once imported, and its value outlived the coin itself in elite pricing and auctions.
Etymological Timeline
15th Century
Portuguese
Guiné
“The West African coast region known to Portuguese sailors as Guinea”
16th Century
English
Guinea
“The West African region and its people, as used in English trade and travel writing”
1663
English
guinea
“A British gold coin first minted from African gold”
18th–19th Century
English
guinea
“A coin worth 21 shillings, often used for luxury goods, professional fees, and auctions”
Modern English
English
guinea
“A historical coin name and a regional name for parts of West Africa”
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