half-dollar

noun

half-dol·​lar ˈhaf-ˈdä-lər How to pronounce half-dollar (audio)
ˈhäf-
1
: a coin representing one half of a dollar
2
: the sum of 50 cents

Examples of half-dollar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Various sizes of hail were reported in Palm Beach County and Broward County throughout Friday, from quarter size to 1.5 inches, about the size of a ping-pong ball, in areas of Lake Worth Beach and half-dollar size hail in Pembroke Pines, according to NWS Miami preliminary local storm reports. Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 24 May 2025 Across the other coins — the dime, quarter, and half-dollar — the situation is much better. Addy Bink, The Hill, 23 May 2025 Hail as large as a half-dollar also posed a threat. Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 May 2025 Since 2022, the costs of producing a single dime, quarter, and half-dollar has increased by $0.0073, $0.0357, and $0.1682, respectively. Addy Bink, The Hill, 10 Feb. 2025 Pennies were the most common coins produced by the Mint last year, followed, in order, by quarters, dimes, nickels and then half-dollars. Russ Wiles, USA TODAY, 13 Feb. 2025 The markings on the tokens, which are roughly the size of a half-dollar coin, likely indicated the strategic purpose or worth of each piece during a game, according to a statement from Karabük University. Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Jan. 2025 Earlier this year, the U.S. Mint began selling coins — $5 gold coins, $1 silver coins, and half-dollar coins — to commemorate Tubman. Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 12 Nov. 2024 On one hand, the California Air Resources Board is quietly on the verge of adopting a regulation that could make pump prices soar by nearly a half-dollar a gallon — or even much more — as detailed in a Times story by reporter Russ Mitchell. George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of half-dollar was in 1583

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Cite this Entry

“Half-dollar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/half-dollar. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

half-dollar

noun
half-dol·​lar
-ˈdäl-ər
1
: a coin representing one half of a dollar
2
: the sum of fifty cents
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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