krone
B2Formal, Financial, Geographic
Definition
Meaning
The primary monetary unit of Denmark and Norway.
A historical German and Austrian gold coin; the standard currency of Denmark (Danish krone) and Norway (Norwegian krone).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Capitalised when referring to a specific national currency (e.g., the Danish Krone). Often used with a national adjective to specify which country's currency is meant.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Both varieties use the term for Scandinavian currencies. The plural 'kroner' is standard in English for the Danish/Norwegian currency, though 'kronas' is sometimes seen for Icelandic krona.
Connotations
Neutral, associated with finance, travel, and Scandinavian economies.
Frequency
Low frequency in general English, but standard in financial, travel, and economic contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The [National] krone is pegged to the euro.It costs fifty kroner.to trade in kronerVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(as) sound as a krone (rare, Scandinavian-influenced)”
- “Not a krone to his name (regional)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in forex markets, financial reports, and international trade invoices.
Academic
Appears in economic history, European studies, and finance papers.
Everyday
Used by travellers and in news about Scandinavian economies.
Technical
Currency code DKK (Denmark) or NOK (Norway) is more precise in banking/finance.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The souvenir costs 100 kroner.
- We use the krone in Denmark.
- The hotel bill was 2,500 Norwegian kroner.
- Do you accept Danish krone or only euros?
- The krone has remained relatively stable against the euro this quarter.
- Investors are watching the Norwegian krone due to oil price fluctuations.
- The central bank intervened to prevent the krone from appreciating too rapidly, fearing a loss of export competitiveness.
- Historical analyses of the gold-backed krone offer insights into pre-war European monetary policy.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CROWN on a Scandinavian monarch's head; 'krone' means 'crown' and is the name of their currency.
Conceptual Metaphor
CURRENCY IS A MEASURE OF NATIONAL STRENGTH (e.g., a strong krone).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'крона' (crown of a tree or head).
- The Russian 'крона' for currency is a direct cognate, but usage contexts differ.
- Plural 'kroner' does not follow typical English '-s' pluralisation.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'kronas' for Danish/Norwegian plural (correct: kroner).
- Omitting the national adjective (Danish/Norwegian) when context isn't clear.
- Confusing DKK with NOK.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the correct plural form for the Danish currency unit?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but they are distinct currencies: the Danish krone (DKK) and the Norwegian krone (NOK). They are not interchangeable.
There is no single symbol. Often abbreviated as 'kr.' or represented by its ISO currency code (DKK or NOK).
In British English, it's pronounced like 'CRONE-uh' /ˈkrəʊnə/. In American English, it's like 'CRONE-uh' /ˈkroʊnə/.
It is often capitalised when referring to the official currency (e.g., the Danish Krone), similar to Pound or Dollar, but lower case is also common in running text.