bucks: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal (for money), Neutral (for animals)
Quick answer
What does “bucks” mean?
The plural of 'buck', most commonly referring to units of money, especially US dollars.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The plural of 'buck', most commonly referring to units of money, especially US dollars.
Can also refer to the plural of the animal (male deer, antelope, etc.), or be used informally to mean responsibility ('pass the buck').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'bucks' is understood but not native currency slang; Brits would use 'quid' for pounds. In the US, it's a universal, informal term for dollars.
Connotations
US: Casual, everyday. UK: Recognized as Americanism, sometimes used ironically or in global contexts.
Frequency
Extremely high frequency in American English. Moderate and context-specific in British English.
Grammar
How to Use “bucks” in a Sentence
[Number] + bucks[Verb] + bucksbucks + [Preposition] (for/on)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bucks” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The government is trying to buck the economic trend.
American English
- The bronco tried to buck the rider off.
adjective
British English
- He's a buck private in the army.
American English
- She's a buck sergeant in the Marines.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Informal discussions of cost, profit, or salary ('The project needs another 50k bucks').
Academic
Rare, except in sociolinguistics or economics discussing informal finance.
Everyday
Ubiquitous in AmE for discussing prices, small loans, or costs ('Can you lend me twenty bucks?').
Technical
Not used in technical financial documents; replaced by 'USD' or 'dollars'.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bucks”
- Using 'bucks' for non-USD currencies ('It costs 10 euro bucks' - INCORRECT).
- Using singular 'buck' for plural amounts ('It cost me five buck' - INCORRECT).
- Using in formal writing where 'dollars' is required.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, though it's sometimes informally extended to other currencies (e.g., 'Canadian bucks'), but this is non-standard. For clarity, use it only for USD.
No. It's informal. Use 'dollars', 'USD', or the '$' symbol in formal writing.
'Buck' is singular for one dollar. 'Bucks' is the plural form for any amount more than one.
No. This idiom means to shift responsibility to someone else and originates from poker, not currency.
The plural of 'buck', most commonly referring to units of money, especially US dollars.
Bucks: in British English it is pronounced /bʌks/, and in American English it is pronounced /bʌks/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “bang for your buck”
- “more bang for the buck”
- “pass the buck”
- “make a quick buck”
- “feel like a million bucks”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a male deer (buck) with dollar bills instead of antlers. One buck = one dollar.
Conceptual Metaphor
MONEY IS A HUNTED ANIMAL (making a buck), MONEY IS A MEASURABLE COMMODITY.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'bucks' used correctly?