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sou

penny, cent (old coin)

noun SOO Less Common
Numbers & Measures Money

Origin: Latin solidus (gold coin)

Usage Note

sou originally referred to a small French coin; today it is used idiomatically to mean money in general. N'avoir pas un sou means 'to be broke'. The phrase propre comme un sou neuf ('clean as a new penny') is a common simile. The plural is sous.

Examples

"Il n'a pas un sou en poche."

Natural Translation

He doesn't have a penny in his pocket.

Literal Translation

He has-not a penny in pocket

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