dollar sign: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to formal in finance/technical contexts; informal when used metaphorically for money.
Quick answer
What does “dollar sign” mean?
The symbol ($) representing the dollar, the currency unit of the United States and several other countries.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The symbol ($) representing the dollar, the currency unit of the United States and several other countries.
A symbol ($) used to denote monetary amounts, especially in American dollars; more broadly, it can represent money, wealth, or commercial value in computing, programming (e.g., in variable names), and informal contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term 'dollar sign' is universally understood, but its primary association is with the US dollar. In the UK, the pound sign (£) is more common in daily life. In computing contexts, usage is identical.
Connotations
In the US, it directly denotes the national currency. In the UK and other countries, it often specifically implies US dollars or foreign currency, sometimes carrying connotations of American economic influence.
Frequency
Far more frequent in American English due to the currency's centrality. In British English, it appears in international finance, computing, and contexts discussing US matters.
Grammar
How to Use “dollar sign” in a Sentence
The dollar sign ($) precedes the amount.The variable name must start with a dollar sign.Her eyes lit up at the sight of the dollar sign.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “dollar sign” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- You need to dollar-sign the amounts in the column.
- The accountant dollar-signed the entire ledger.
American English
- Make sure to dollar-sign the total at the bottom.
- They dollar-signed every figure in the proposal.
adjective
British English
- He had a dollar-sign mentality, always thinking of profit.
- It was a dollar-sign decision, not an ethical one.
American English
- She saw a dollar-sign opportunity in the market.
- His motivation was purely dollar-sign driven.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in financial reports, invoices, and pricing (e.g., 'All prices are in USD, indicated by the dollar sign').
Academic
Used in economics papers to specify currency units or in linguistics discussing semiotics.
Everyday
Used when writing prices (e.g., 'It costs $20') or referring to money in general ('I need to earn more of those dollar signs').
Technical
In programming, denotes a special identifier (e.g., in PHP: $variable; in Excel: $A$1 for an absolute reference).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “dollar sign”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “dollar sign”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “dollar sign”
- Writing the sign after the number (e.g., '20$' is incorrect in English; correct is '$20').
- Confusing it with the cent sign (¢).
- In programming, using it incorrectly outside its defined syntax (e.g., in Python where it has no special meaning).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In English, the dollar sign always precedes the numerical amount (e.g., $50).
Yes, it is used for many other dollar-based currencies (e.g., Canadian, Australian, New Zealand dollars). The specific currency is usually indicated by a preceding country code (e.g., US$, CA$).
The most widely accepted theory is that it evolved from the Spanish American 'pieces of eight' or pesos, written as 'Ps,' which over time merged into a single symbol with a line through it.
Informally and in specific professional jargon (e.g., accounting, editing), it can be used as a verb meaning 'to mark with a $.' (e.g., 'Dollar-sign the totals'). This is not common in general everyday speech.
The symbol ($) representing the dollar, the currency unit of the United States and several other countries.
Dollar sign is usually neutral to formal in finance/technical contexts; informal when used metaphorically for money. in register.
Dollar sign: in British English it is pronounced /ˈdɒlə ˌsaɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈdɑːlɚ ˌsaɪn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “see dollar signs (to perceive an opportunity for profit)”
- “follow the dollar sign (to pursue wealth)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine the letter S with two vertical lines through it, like a snake (the 'S' for 'dollar') being guarded by two pillars (the lines) of wealth.
Conceptual Metaphor
MONEY IS A SYMBOL (The symbol stands for the entire concept of currency and wealth).
Practice
Quiz
In which programming language is the dollar sign commonly used to prefix variable names?