Is 'khoums' used in modern English?

No, it is an obsolete term specific to historical Mauritanian currency.

Can I use 'khoums' to talk about small amounts of money in general?

No, it would be incorrect and confusing. It refers only to a specific, discontinued subunit.

How do you pronounce 'khoums'?

It is pronounced like 'coombs' (/kuːms/). The 'kh' represents an Arabic sound often anglicised as 'k'.

Why would I ever need to know this word?

You would likely only encounter it in highly specialized contexts like academic history, numismatics (coin collecting), or detailed financial histories of West Africa.

khoums

Extremely Rare / Obsolete

UK/kuːms/US/kuːms/

Historical / Numismatic / Academic

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

A former monetary unit of Mauritania, equal to one-fifth of an ouguiya.

A historical or numismatic term for a small fraction of currency, specifically in the context of Mauritania's pre-decimal system. The word is of Arabic origin, referring to 'one fifth'.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

This term is not part of active, modern English vocabulary. It is encountered almost exclusively in historical texts, financial histories, or specialized numismatic contexts discussing West African currency systems. It is a proper noun for a specific unit.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No discernible difference in usage between British and American English, as the term is equally obscure in both varieties.

Connotations

Technical, historical, specific to Mauritanian context.

Frequency

Virtually never used in contemporary speech or writing in either variety.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

Mauritanian khoumsone khoums

medium

worth a few khoumsthe khoums coin

weak

old khoumshistorical khoums

Grammar

Valency Patterns

Used as a countable noun, typically preceded by a number or quantifier (e.g., five khoums).

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

one-fifth ouguiya

Neutral

fractional unitsubunit

Weak

coinsmall change

Vocabulary

Antonyms

ouguiya (the main unit)

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“Not worth a khoums (theoretically possible, but not an established idiom).”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Not used in modern business.

Academic

Used in economic history, African studies, or numismatics papers.

Everyday

Never used.

Technical

Used in very specific numismatic catalogues or historical financial documents.

Examples

By CEFR Level

This old coin is from Mauritania.

The museum had coins from many countries.

Before decimalisation, the Mauritanian ouguiya was divided into five khoums.

Numismatists value the 1973 khoums coin for its unique design marking the currency's initial issue.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of 'coombs' (an old measure for grain) but for money in MAURITANIA: KHO-UMS sounds like 'coombs' and was one-fifth of their main cash.

Conceptual Metaphor

NOT APPLICABLE for such a specific, concrete technical term.

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

Do not confuse with Russian "хумс" (khums) – an Islamic term for a one-fifth tax or alms. While etymologically related (both mean 'one fifth'), the Mauritanian 'khoums' is purely a monetary unit.

Common Mistakes

Using it as a general term for money (it is hyper-specific).
Misspelling as 'koums' or 'khums'.
Assuming it is a current term.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

In Mauritania's old currency system, one ouguiya was equivalent to five .

Multiple Choice

What is a 'khoums'?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: No, it is an obsolete term specific to historical Mauritanian currency.
: No, it would be incorrect and confusing. It refers only to a specific, discontinued subunit.
: It is pronounced like 'coombs' (/kuːms/). The 'kh' represents an Arabic sound often anglicised as 'k'.
: You would likely only encounter it in highly specialized contexts like academic history, numismatics (coin collecting), or detailed financial histories of West Africa.