one thousand guineas
LowHistorical, formal, or financial
Definition
Meaning
A sum of £1,050, referring to the historical coin (the guinea), which was valued at one pound and one shilling.
A specific, significant sum of money, often used historically to denote prices for prestigious goods (e.g., art, horses, land) or as professional fees (e.g., for barristers or physicians).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term denotes a specific monetary amount but carries historical and class connotations. It is largely archaic outside historical or specialist contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is exclusively British (Commonwealth) in origin and historical usage. In American English, it is only encountered in historical contexts or discussions of British history. It would not be used to denote a modern monetary value.
Connotations
UK: historical prestige, upper-class transactions (e.g., auctions, stud fees, high-value services). US: purely historical reference with no modern equivalent.
Frequency
Extremely rare in modern UK English, limited to historical texts, literature, or very specific contexts (e.g., horse racing pedigrees). Effectively never used in modern US English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be + sold/valued/bought FOR one thousand guineasa prize OF one thousand guineascost one thousand guineas (dative)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not a guinea less (emphasising a fixed, historically significant price)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Historic auction records, valuations of antiques.
Academic
Historical economic studies, literature analysis (e.g., Jane Austen).
Everyday
Not used in modern everyday conversation.
Technical
Horse breeding (stud fees), numismatics (coin collecting).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The painting was guineased at one thousand guineas.
- He guineased his fee, demanding one thousand guineas.
adjective
British English
- The one-thousand-guinea prize attracted top competitors.
- It was a one-thousand-guinea yearling.
American English
- The one-thousand-guinea figure appeared in the historical ledger.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The old book was sold for one thousand guineas a long time ago.
- In the 18th century, a renowned portrait painter might charge one thousand guineas for a commission.
- The yearling colt, descended from a Derby winner, fetched a remarkable one thousand guineas at the Tattersalls auction.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a fancy horse auction: 'ONE THOUSAND Golden Guineas for the champion stallion!'
Conceptual Metaphor
MONEY IS A MEASURE OF HISTORICAL WORTH/PRESTIGE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation referring to the African country Guinea. The 'guinea' here is a historical British coin.
Common Mistakes
- Using it for modern prices (incorrect). Confusing it with 'one thousand pounds' (a different amount).
Practice
Quiz
What is the modern sterling equivalent of 'one thousand guineas'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the guinea coin was last minted in 1813, but the term persisted in professional and luxury goods pricing for over a century after.
Using 'guineas' evokes historical context, tradition, and prestige, particularly in fields like horse racing, art, and law where the custom survived.
No, it is purely a British historical term. An American would only encounter it in historical novels or documents.
It is typically used in round numbers or traditional fee structures (e.g., 100 guineas, 500 guineas). Using it for odd modern amounts sounds affected or incorrect.