halfpenny

See also: Halfpenny

English

Alternative forms

(with the first element, half, preserved) halfepenny, halfepeny, halfepenie, halfepenye; halfpenny, halfpeny, halfpenie, halfpenye (all obsolete except halfpenny)
(with the first element reduced to hal-, ha’, or ha-) halpeny, halpenye, hapeney, ha’penny, hapenny, happenny (all obsolete except ha’penny)
(with the first element corrupted to haw-) hawpny (dialectal, obsolete)
(decimal abbreviation) ½p (pre-decimalisation abbreviation) ½d

Etymology

From the Middle English halpeni, either from the late-Old English halpenige or from half +‎ peni; equivalent to half +‎ penny and continually reinforced by that surface analysis.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈheɪp(ə)ni/
(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈhɑːfˌpɛni/ (spelling pronunciation)
Audio (RP spelling pronunciation) (file)

Noun

halfpenny (plural halfpennies or halfpence)

(plural: halfpennies) (historical) A discontinued British coin worth half of one penny (old or new).
- Christmas is coming (traditional carol)
  If you haven't got a penny, / A ha'penny will do, / If you haven't got a ha'penny, / Then God bless you.
(plural: halfpence) A quantity of money worth half a penny.
- c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act III, scene ii]:
  There were none principal; they were all like one another as halfpence are; every one fault seeming monstrous till his fellow fault came to match it.
- 1848, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair:
  "If a pound of mutton-candles cost sevenpence-halfpenny, how much must Dobbin cost?"

Derived terms

bord halfpenny
halfpenny farthing
halfpenny of gold
halfpenny under the hat
have one’s hand on another halfpenny
have one’s heart on one’s halfpenny
not a halfpenny the worse
penny halfpenny, a
shove halfpenny
three halfpence
twopenny-halfpenny

Translations

British coin worth half of one penny

French: demi-penny (fr) m
Irish: leathphingin f
Maori: hēpene

Adjective

halfpenny (not comparable)

Costing or worth one halfpenny.
- 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act IV, scene ii]:
  There shall be in England seven halfpenny loaves sold for a penny; the three-hooped pot shall have ten hoops; and I will make it felony to drink small beer.