litas: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal / Technical
Quick answer
What does “litas” mean?
The basic unit of currency in Lithuania.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The basic unit of currency in Lithuania.
A historical and cultural symbol of Lithuanian sovereignty, referring to both modern and historical forms of Lithuanian currency.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in usage. Both varieties use the term only in specific contexts related to Lithuania.
Connotations
Neutral; denotes a foreign currency.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both, only appearing in financial news or travel guides concerning Lithuania.
Grammar
How to Use “litas” in a Sentence
The [NOUN] cost 100 litas.They exchanged their [CURRENCY] for litas.Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in forex trading reports and international finance discussing historical Lithuanian economy.
Academic
Found in economic history texts discussing Baltic states' pre-euro currencies.
Everyday
Used by travellers who visited Lithuania before its adoption of the euro in 2015.
Technical
Appears in numismatics (coin collecting) and financial archives.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “litas”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “litas”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “litas”
- Incorrect pluralisation (e.g., 'litases').
- Capitalising the word when not starting a sentence.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, Lithuania adopted the euro as its official currency on 1 January 2015. The litas is no longer in circulation.
Yes, Lithuanian litas banknotes and coins can be exchanged indefinitely for euros at the Bank of Lithuania at a fixed conversion rate.
The currency code was LTL. The symbol was 'Lt' placed before the amount (e.g., Lt 100).
In English, 'litas' is often used for both singular and plural. The Lithuanian plurals 'litai' or 'litu' are sometimes used in English contexts for precision.
The basic unit of currency in Lithuania.
Litas is usually formal / technical in register.
Litas: in British English it is pronounced /ˈliːtɑːs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈliːtɑːs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
LITAS: Lithuanian Tender And Standard.
Conceptual Metaphor
CURRENCY IS A SYMBOL OF NATIONAL IDENTITY.
Practice
Quiz
The litas was the former national currency of which country?