piaster Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a fractional monetary unit in Egypt and Lebanon and Sudan and Syria
    piastre.
  2. noun 100 kurus equal 1 lira in Turkey
    kurus; piastre.

WordNet

Pi*as"ter noun
Etymology
F. piastre, It. piastra a thin plate of metal, a dollar, LL. piastra, fr. L. emplastrum. See Plaster.
Definitions
  1. A silver coin of Spain and various other countries. See Peso. The Spanish piaster (commonly called peso, or peso duro) is of about the value of the American dollar. The Italian piaster, or scudo, was worth from 80 to 100 cents. The Turkish and Egyptian piasters are now worth about four and a half cents.

Webster 1913