Ha'penny means: A halfpenny; a former British and Irish coin.. The word is mostly archaic or historical; you will only encounter it in old texts, period drama, or school history rather than current teen conversation. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
ha'penny
(historical, Ireland, UK) A halfpenny; a former British and Irish coin.
Definitions
(historical, Ireland, UK) A halfpenny; a former British and Irish coin.
Ha'penny means: A halfpenny; a former British and Irish coin.. The word is mostly archaic or historical; you will only encounter it in old texts, period drama, or school history rather than current teen conversation. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
ha'penny means: A halfpenny; a former British and Irish coin.. Register: informal, Irish English. Often not understood outside its region; gloss the word on first use when writing for an international audience. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.
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Other words near "ha'penny" (H)
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Semantically related
- tuppenny-ha'penny79%
(UK, Irish, mostly, derogatory) Very cheap.
- ha'p'orth75%
A halfpennyworth; the amount that can be bought for a halfpenny.
- ha'penny starver75%
(UK, obsolete, slang) A small bread roll costing one halfpenny.
- halfpennyworth74%
(British, informal) A negligible amount.
- halfpennyworth73%
(British, historical) As much as could be bought for a halfpenny (pre- or post-decimalisation).