LingvoCore.com

c-note

C1
UK/ˈsiː ˌnəʊt/US/ˈsiː ˌnoʊt/

informal, slang

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

A one-hundred-dollar banknote.

Any sum of one hundred dollars, regardless of form.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Primarily US slang from the early 20th century. The 'C' is derived from the Roman numeral C for 100, not from 'century'.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

Exclusively American; no direct equivalent in UK currency slang, as the term references the US dollar.

Connotations

In AmE, it often evokes vintage or gangster/mobster imagery (1920s-40s). It's recognized in UK contexts largely through US media.

Frequency

Common in AmE in historical/crime fiction. Rare in contemporary casual UK speech; a British speaker might say 'a hundred quid' instead.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
pass a c-noteowe a c-notecost a c-notesingle c-notepeel off a c-note
medium
bet a c-notehand over a c-notecounterfeit c-note
weak
big c-noteold c-note

Grammar

Valency Patterns

He gave me a c-note. (SVO)I'm short a c-note. (Adj + PP)The fine is a c-note. (SVC)

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

a Benjamin

Neutral

hundred dollarsa hundred bucks (informal)a Benjamin (slang, specific to $100 bill)

Weak

a hundreda bill

Vocabulary

Antonyms

single (meaning one dollar)a fin (five dollars)

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “on the c-note (rare, meaning precisely correct or on point, a pun)”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Rare in formal finance. Possibly used jokingly.

Academic

Only in historical or socio-linguistic studies of slang.

Everyday

Used casually in the US to refer to $100, but somewhat dated.

Technical

Not used in any technical financial or economic context.

Examples

By CEFR Level

A2
  • It costs one hundred dollars.
B1
  • That jacket cost me a hundred dollars!
B2
  • He just peeled a crisp c-note from his wallet to pay the bill.
C1
  • The vintage dealer insisted the item was worth at least a c-note, given its condition and historical provenance.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of the Roman numeral C = 100. A C-NOTE is a $100 note.

Conceptual Metaphor

CURRENCY IS A PROMISSORY NOTE (note) > VALUE IS REPRESENTED BY SYMBOL (C).

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

  • Do not translate literally as 'си-нота' or 'нота до'. It is not musical.
  • The 'note' here means a banknote (банкнота), not a musical or written note.
  • Avoid confusion with the abbreviation for 'century'.

Common Mistakes

  • Capitalisation: writing 'C-note' is acceptable, but 'c-note' is more common.
  • Pluralisation: 'c-notes', not 'c-note's'.
  • Using it for other currencies, e.g., 'a hundred euro c-note' is incorrect.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
The poker bet was raised by another , making the pot much larger.
Multiple Choice

In which of the following contexts would the term 'c-note' be most appropriate?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is specifically American slang for a one-hundred-dollar bill. Other currencies have their own slang terms.

The 'C' stands for the Roman numeral for one hundred (C). The word 'note' refers to a banknote or bill.

It is understood but considered somewhat dated or vintage. Terms like 'a hundred bucks' are more common in modern casual speech.

Almost never. Its primary and nearly exclusive meaning is related to the US $100 bill.