Dictionary

sou en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /suː/

Etymology

Borrowed from French sou. Doublet of sol, sold, soldo, solid, solidus, and xu.

Meanings

1. (historical) An old French copper coin equal to one twentieth of a livre or twelve deniers; one sou is to the livre as one shilling is to the pound.
   • He is grey, flat-footed and withered, with long, brittle nails that set your nerves on edge while he scrapes up your two sous. 1918 February (date written), Katherine Mansfield [pseudonym; Kathleen Mansfield Murry], “Je ne parle pas français”, in Bliss and Other Stories, London: Constable & Company, published 1920, →OCLC, page 73:
2. (dated, slang) Cent; pocket money.
3. (dated) A thing of the smallest value; a whit; a jot.
   • I do not care a sou for your excuses.

Forms