Cur"ren*cy (k?r"r?n-c?), n.; pl. Currencies (-sz). [Cf. LL. currentia a current, fr. L. currens, p. pr. of currere to run. See Current.]
1.
A continued or uninterrupted course or flow like that of a sream; as, the currency of time.
[Obs.]
Ayliffe.
2.
The state or quality of being current; general acceptance or reception; a passing from person to person, or from hand to hand; circulation; as, a report has had a long or general currency; the currency of bank notes.
3.
That which is in circulation, or is given and taken as having or representing value; as, the currency of a country; a specie currency; esp., government or bank notes circulating as a substitute for metallic money.
4.
Fluency; readiness of utterance.
[Obs.]
5.
Current value; general estimation; the rate at which anything is generally valued.
He . . . takes greatness of kingdoms according to their bulk and currency, and not after intrinsic value.
Bacon.
The bare name of Englishman . . . too often gave a transient currency to the worthless and ungrateful.
W. Irving.
© Webster 1913.