rupee

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rupee

/ˌɹuːˈpiː/ UK
/ɹʊ-/ UK
/ɹuˈpi/ US
/ˈɹupi/ US

Rhymes with -iː, (US) -uːpi

Where it comes from

Coined by Sher Shah Suri, the Sultan of the Suri Empire 1540–1545 as Hindustani रुपीया / رُوپِییَہ (rūpīya), variant of रुपया / رُوپَیَہ (rūpaya, “rupee”), from Sanskrit रूप्यक (rūpyaka, “silver coin”), from रूप्य (rūpya, “wrought gold or silver; stamped coin; beautiful, well-shaped; impressed, stamped”). Doublet of rufiyaa and rupiah.

noun rupees · Rs · Re · ₨ · ₹

Any of the monetary currencies used in modern India, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, the Seychelles, or Sri Lanka. In fact, the visible appearance of the iron is a symbol; it is not what it ultimately is. To take an analogy we are given a ten-rupee note. He knows it truly who at sight recognizes the piece of paper as a symbol of unity that represents ten separate silver coins.
historical A silver coin circulating in India between the 16th and 20th centuries, weighing one tola (formerly 170–180 troy grains; from 1833, 180 troy grains). The only Evidence that was produced by the [East India] Company, was, a letter from Samuel Annesley, at Surrat, dated the 16th January 1694; wherein he gives this Account: Rupees. 655,000. Sent home as Cargo in the Ships Defence and Resolution.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: indian rupee, mauritian rupee, nepalese rupee, pakistani rupee, seychelles rupee, florin, guilder, rupiah, dollar, pound, sicca, inr, rupi, roopee, sicca rupee, rupia

Translations

Every language

noun monetary currency

Español	rupia
한국어	루피 rupi
日本語	ルピー rupī
中文	盧比 /卢比 lúbǐ
हिन्दी	रुपया rupyā, रूप्य rūpya, रुपीया rupīyā, रूपया rūpyā, रूप्यक rūpyak, टका ṭakā
Kiswahili	rupia
Português	rupia
Français	roupie
Deutsch	Rupie
Italiano	rupia
Ελληνικά	ρουπία roupía
Română	rupie
Русский	ру́пия rúpija
العربية	رُوبِيَّة rūbiyya
עברית	רופי

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MLA

"rupee." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/rupee. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

rupee. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/rupee

Chicago

"rupee." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/rupee.

BibTeX

@misc{rupee_2026,
  title = {rupee},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/rupee},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}