Rupiah
/ruːˈpiː.ə/noun
The basic monetary unit of Indonesia, also used in Timor-Leste.
Did you know?Rupiah was named in the tradition of the Indian rupee, whose name ultimately comes from Sanskrit rūpya, meaning silver that had been shaped or worked.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
rūpya
“Wrought, worked, or fashioned silver; coined silver”
Medieval India
Sanskrit
rūpya
“Silver money and coined currency”
16th Century
Hindi
rupiyā
“A silver coin; the rupee”
17th Century
European English
rupee
“The principal silver coin and monetary unit of India”
1946
Indonesian
rupiah
“The newly established monetary unit of the Republic of Indonesia”
Modern English
English
rupiah
“The currency unit of Indonesia and, officially, Timor-Leste”