banknote

Everyday

A piece of paper or plastic money printed by a country's bank, such as a £10 note or a $20 bill. tree →

In the lessons

In maths money problems banknotes stand for larger amounts than coins: a £5 note, a $10 bill. In the UK people say «note», in the USA and Canada «bill». Banknotes have special pictures, threads and holograms so they are hard to copy. Phrases: «a £20 banknote», «plastic banknotes», «fake banknotes».

Examples

• She paid with a ten-pound banknote. tree →
• Australian banknotes are made of plastic. tree →
• The banknote has a hologram so it can't be copied easily. tree →
• How many £5 banknotes make £50? Ten. tree →
• Canadian banknotes come in different colours. tree →
• Grandad keeps an old banknote from Ireland before the euro. tree →

Note

One word. Countable. In the UK usually just «a note», in the USA «a bill». In maths: count the value, not the number of notes.