money

moneynoun

American /ˈmʌn.i/ British /ˈmʌn.i/

no plural

very commondefining vocabulary

coins, paper notes, and the amounts kept in bank accounts, used to buy things and pay for services
uncountable [U] often before another noun [before noun]
- How much money do you have on you?
- She earns good money as a nurse.
- We're saving money for a trip next spring.
- He spends all his money on books.
Collocations
verb + noun make money, earn money, spend money, save money, borrow money, lend money, lose money, waste money, raise money, owe money
adjective + noun good money, big money, easy money, spare money, extra money, public money
noun + noun money problems, money worries, money matters
phrase a sum of money, a lot of money, plenty of money, worth a lot of money, value for money
Synonyms cash (cash usually means physical coins and notes, as opposed to a card or a bank transfer, though it can also mean money that is ready to spend)
Compare currency (a currency is the money system of a particular country)
1. athe wealth that a person, a family, or a business has
  uncountable [U]
  - His family has money, but he doesn't show it.
  - There's good money in repairing phones.
  Collocations
  verb + noun have money, come into money, marry money
  adjective + noun old money, new money

Phrases

make money

get money by working or through business

You won't make money selling old shoes.
The restaurant is finally making money.

for my money informal

in my opinion

For my money, the second film was the better one.
She's the best player on the team, for my money.

money talks

people with money have power and get what they want

A saying, often said with disapproval.

They got the permit in a week; money talks.

put your money where your mouth is informal

show that you mean what you say by spending money or taking a risk on it

If you're so sure the plan will work, put your money where your mouth is and invest.

get your money's worth

get good value for what you paid

We stayed until the park closed to get our money's worth.
At that price, you want to be sure you're getting your money's worth.

be made of money informal

be very rich

Usually in the negative, to refuse to spend.

I can't buy you another one; I'm not made of money! (with a negative)

money doesn't grow on trees

money is not easy to get and must not be wasted

A saying, often said by parents to children.

Turn the lights off when you leave a room; money doesn't grow on trees.

throw money at something disapproving

try to solve a problem by spending a lot of money on it without thinking carefully

You can't just throw money at the problem and hope it goes away.

have money to burn informal

have more money than you need, and spend it freely

They must have money to burn if they buy a new car every year.

Word family

monetary (formal: of money)
monetize

Choosing between money · cash · currency · fund

Money is the general word. Cash usually means coins and paper notes, as opposed to cards or bank transfers, though it can also mean money that is ready to spend: pay in cash. Currency is the money system of a particular country: foreign currency. Funds, in the plural, is a formal word for money available for a purpose: the school lacks funds.

Usage

Money is uncountable in ordinary use: some money, a lot of money, how much money, and a singular verb. To count, name the unit or the sum: two dollars, three coins, a sum of money. The one exception is the plural monies (or moneys), which appears only in legal and financial documents and means separate sums.

Common mistakes

I have many moneys. I have a lot of money.
Money is uncountable and has no ordinary plural.

How many money do you need? How much money do you need?
Uncountable nouns take much, not many.

The money are on the table. The money is on the table.
Money takes a singular verb.

For translators

Meaning across languages One English word covers coins and notes in hand, money in a bank, and wealth in general. Some languages separate cash from money in general, or use the name of a currency unit as the general word. English cash usually means coins and notes only, though it can also loosely mean money that is ready to spend.

Grammar trap Uncountable in ordinary use: much money, a little money, never a money or many money. A singular verb: the money was gone. Amounts are counted in units (three dollars) or as sums (a large sum of money).

Cultural background How much money a person earns or has is treated as private in most English-speaking countries; asking a new acquaintance about their salary is rude. Money before a noun (money problems, money worries) usually means a shortage of it.

False friends In some languages a look-alike word means a coin or a country's currency rather than money in general.

Pronunciation trap The o is pronounced as the u of sun, not the o of go: MUN-ee. Stress on the first syllable; the ending sounds like a short ee.