Taler
/ˈtɑːlɚ/noun
A silver coin once used in many parts of Europe, especially in German-speaking regions.
Did you know?The taler was named after the Joachimsthal silver mine in Bohemia, and its name ultimately helped give the world the word dollar.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
German
Thaler
“A large silver coin from the Joachimsthal valley, literally a coin from the valley”
16th Century
German
Joachimsthaler
“Something from Joachim’s valley, referring to the silver coin minted there”
16th Century
German
Joachimsthal
“Joachim’s valley, the Bohemian mining town where the coin was first struck”
17th Century
Dutch
daler
“A dollar-like silver coin, borrowed from German Thaler”
17th–18th Century
English
taler/dollar
“A silver coin; later, dollar became the main English form for currency units”
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