dime: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral to informal; the core coin meaning is standard, while extended meanings are predominantly informal/slang.
Quick answer
What does “dime” mean?
A coin of the United States and Canada, worth ten cents.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A coin of the United States and Canada, worth ten cents; one-tenth of a dollar.
A very small amount of money; something small, insignificant, or inexpensive. In basketball, slang for an assist (a pass leading directly to a score). Slang for a beautiful woman (from 'dime piece').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The coin does not exist in the UK monetary system. The word is used in the UK primarily in its extended/slang meanings, often influenced by American media. The core meaning is exclusively North American.
Connotations
In the US, it has strong cultural connotations (e.g., 'a dime a dozen', 'dime store'). In the UK, it's a foreign term, so such connotations are absent or borrowed.
Frequency
Frequent in US English due to the currency. Infrequent in UK English outside of specific contexts like discussing US currency, basketball, or using American slang.
Grammar
How to Use “dime” in a Sentence
a dimea dime for [noun]worth a dimenot worth a dimeturn on a dimeVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “dime” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He dimed on his associates to avoid jail time. (slang, rare)
American English
- The player dimed it to his teammate for an easy layup. (basketball slang)
adjective
British English
- He bought a dime novel at the antique fair. (historical reference)
American English
- That's a dime move, setting a screen like that. (slang, praise in basketball)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in literal financial contexts involving US currency or the phrase 'not worth a dime' to describe a bad investment.
Academic
Rare; may appear in historical/cultural studies (e.g., dime novels, Depression-era economics).
Everyday
Common in US/Canada for the coin. Common in informal speech for idioms.
Technical
In basketball commentary/statistics (an assist). In numismatics (coin collecting).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “dime”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “dime”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “dime”
- Using UK spelling 'dyme' (incorrect; always 'dime').
- Using 'dime' to refer to a 10p coin in the UK (culturally inaccurate).
- Misapplying the idiom 'a dime a dozen' to mean 'expensive' (it means the opposite).
- Confusing 'drop a dime' (inform) with 'spend a dime' (pay a small amount).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. In the US, a penny is 1 cent. A dime is 10 cents, making it worth ten times more.
No, it would be confusing. The correct term is 'ten pence' or '10p'. 'Dime' is understood as the American/Canadian coin.
Historically, a store selling inexpensive items (originally for five or ten cents). The modern equivalent might be a 'variety store' or 'dollar store'.
It originates from when a payphone call cost ten cents (a dime). 'Dropping a dime' meant putting money in the phone to call the police and inform.
A coin of the United States and Canada, worth ten cents.
Dime is usually neutral to informal; the core coin meaning is standard, while extended meanings are predominantly informal/slang. in register.
Dime: in British English it is pronounced /daɪm/, and in American English it is pronounced /daɪm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a dime a dozen (very common, cheap)”
- “turn on a dime (change direction/position very quickly)”
- “drop a dime (on someone) (inform to the authorities)”
- “not worth a dime (worthless)”
- “stop on a dime (stop very quickly and precisely)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'dime' rhyming with 'time'. 'It's TIME to pay a DIME.' Or, a DIME is one-tenth, like the 'dec-' in 'decade' (ten years).
Conceptual Metaphor
MONEY IS VALUE / LACK OF MONEY IS LACK OF VALUE (not worth a dime); ABUNDANCE IS CHEAP (a dime a dozen); AGILITY/PRECISION IS COIN-SIZED (turn on a dime).
Practice
Quiz
What does the basketball term 'dime' specifically refer to?