guinea
C1/C2Historical, archaic, formal in historical contexts, informal in modern UK usage for amounts.
Definition
Meaning
A former British gold coin worth 21 shillings (1.05 pounds).
A historical term for money; also refers to a region in West Africa (Guinea) and a breed of fowl (guinea fowl). The term 'guinea' is sometimes used, often in a historical or informal context, to denote one pound and one shilling.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is historical for currency but persists in some modern British contexts (e.g., horse racing, professional fees). The geographical name (Guinea) and animal name (guinea fowl/pig) are separate, distinct meanings.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'guinea' is still understood as £1.05 and used in specific traditional contexts (e.g., auctions, horse racing prizes, certain professional fees like lawyers/doctors). In the US, it is almost exclusively a historical term for the coin or refers to the geographical region/animal.
Connotations
In UK: can connote tradition, elitism, or professional prestige (a 'guinea fee'). In US: primarily historical or geographical.
Frequency
Low frequency in both dialects, but marginally higher in UK due to niche traditional use.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
cost/be priced at [Number] guineaspay/charge [Number] guineasa [Noun] of [Number] guineasVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Guinea pig (test subject)”
- “Not worth a brass farthing/a guinea (archaic, meaning worthless)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in traditional British auction houses or some legacy professional fee structures.
Academic
Used in historical, economic, or numismatic texts discussing pre-decimal British currency.
Everyday
Very rare. Possibly understood by older generations in the UK; otherwise, mostly for the animal (guinea pig) or region.
Technical
Numismatics (coin collecting), historical finance, animal husbandry (guinea fowl/pig).
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- A five-guinea fee was standard for the consultant.
- He bought a guinea stamp collection.
American English
- A guinea fowl is native to Africa.
- The guinea pig is a common pet.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We have a guinea pig as a class pet.
- Guinea is a country in Africa.
- The vet said our guinea fowl is healthy.
- In history class, we learned about old coins like the guinea.
- The antique vase was sold at auction for fifty guineas.
- Before decimalisation, a guinea was worth one pound and one shilling.
- The barrister's fee was traditionally quoted in guineas, a convention that persisted into the late 20th century.
- He argued that using students as guinea pigs for the new teaching method was unethical.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A GUINEA was a GOLD coin for the GENTRY; think of a fancy person saying 'That'll be a guinea, old chap!'
Conceptual Metaphor
TRADITION/OLD-WORLD VALUE (The guinea represents a bygone era of currency and social customs).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'Гвинея' (the country) when the context is about money.
- The animal 'guinea pig' translates to 'морская свинка' (literally 'little sea pig'), which shares no direct lexical link.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'guinea' to mean a modern pound sterling.
- Misspelling as 'ginea' or 'ginnea'.
- Pronouncing it like the country 'Guinea' (/ˈɡɪni/ is correct for both, but some mistakenly use /ɡɪˈniː/ for the coin).
Practice
Quiz
In which of these modern contexts might you still encounter the term 'guinea' referring to money in the UK?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the guinea coin was last minted in 1813. The term survives only as a historical unit of account and in certain traditional British contexts.
The gold used to mint the coin originally came from Guinea in Africa. Its value was fixed at 21 shillings in 1717.
Historically, a guinea was worth £1 and 1 shilling (£1.05 in decimal currency). A pound was and is worth 20 shillings (£1).
It was a traditional way for professionals to quote fees. The extra shilling was often seen as an honorarium for the professional, while the pound covered costs/taxes.