Currency \Cur"ren*cy\ (k?r"r?n-c?), n.; pl. Currencies (-s?z). [Cf. LL. currentia a current, fr. L. currens, p. pr. of currere to run. See Current.]

1. A continued or uninterrupted course or flow like that of a stream; as, the currency of time. [Obs.]

--Ayliffe.

2. The state or quality of being current; general acceptance or reception; a passing from person to person, or from hand to hand; circulation; as, a report has had a long or general currency; the currency of bank notes.

3. That which is in circulation, or is given and taken as having or representing value; as, the currency of a country; a specie currency; esp., government or bank notes circulating as a substitute for metallic money.

4. Fluency; readiness of utterance. [Obs.]

5. Current value; general estimation; the rate at which anything is generally valued.

He . . . takes greatness of kingdoms according to their bulk and currency, and not after intrinsic value. --Bacon.

The bare name of Englishman . . . too often gave a transient currency to the worthless and ungrateful. --W. Irving.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)