Etymology Map
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Dollar

3 stages from German to English.

Today it means the basic currency unit of the US and several other countries

Where does the word "dollar" come from? It comes from German Joachimsthaler, passing through Dutch before entering English (1790s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
Joachimsthaler
German · 1500s
"coin from Joachim's valley"
a silver coin minted from 1519 in Joachimsthal ('Joachim's valley') in Bohemia
2
Stage 2 of 3
daler
Dutch · 1500s
"silver coin"
the shortened 'thaler' spread across Europe; the Dutch 'leeuwendaler' circulated widely in colonial America
3
Stage 3 of 3
dollar
English · 1790s
"US currency"
Spanish 'pieces of eight', called dollars, circulated widely in the American colonies
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Read the full story

Dollar’s story begins in German: Joachimsthaler meant “coin from Joachim's valley.” A silver coin minted from 1519 in Joachimsthal ('Joachim's valley') in Bohemia. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in Dutch as daler. The shortened 'thaler' spread across Europe; the Dutch 'leeuwendaler' circulated widely in colonial America. It reached English by 1790s as dollar. Spanish 'pieces of eight', called dollars, circulated widely in the American colonies. Today, dollar means the basic currency unit of the US and several other countries.