Centavo
Encyclopedia
Centavo is a Spanish
and Portuguese
word, derived from the Latin
centum, meaning "one hundred", and the suffix -avo, meaning "portion" or "fraction". Centavo means, strictly, "one-hundredth".
It is a fractional monetary unit, used to represent one hundredth of a basic monetary unit in many countries around the world, including:
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
word, derived from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
centum, meaning "one hundred", and the suffix -avo, meaning "portion" or "fraction". Centavo means, strictly, "one-hundredth".
It is a fractional monetary unit, used to represent one hundredth of a basic monetary unit in many countries around the world, including:
Circulating
- Argentine pesoArgentine pesoThe peso is the currency of Argentina, identified by the symbol $ preceding the amount in the same way as many countries using dollar currencies. It is subdivided into 100 centavos. Its ISO 4217 code is ARS...
- Bolivian bolivianoBolivian bolivianoThe boliviano is the currency of Bolivia. It is divided into 100 centavos. Boliviano was also the name of the currency of Bolivia between 1864 and 1963.-First boliviano:...
- Brazilian realBrazilian realThe real is the present-day currency of Brazil. Its sign is R$ and its ISO code is BRL. It is subdivided into 100 centavos ....
- Cape Verdean escudo
- Chilean pesoChilean pesoThe peso is the currency of Chile. The current peso has circulated since 1975, with a previous version circulating between 1817 and 1960. The symbol used locally for it is $. The ISO 4217 code for the present peso is CLP. It is subdivided into 100 centavos, although no centavo denominated coins...
until 1984 - Colombian pesoColombian pesoThe peso is the currency of Colombia. Its ISO 4217 code is COP and it is also informally abbreviated as COL$. However, the official peso symbol is $. As 20 July 2011, the exchange rate of the Colombian peso is 1750 Colombian pesos to 1 U.S. dollar.-History:The peso has been the currency of Colombia...
- Dominican pesoDominican pesoThe Dominican peso, also called peso oro is the currency of the Dominican Republic. Its symbol is "$", with "RD$" used when distinction from other pesos is required; its ISO 4217 code is "DOP". Each peso is divided into 100 centavos , for which the ¢ symbol is used...
- East Timor centavo coinsEast Timor centavo coinsFor earlier currencies issued by East Timor, see Portuguese Timorese escudo and Portuguese Timorese pataca.East Timor centavo coins were introduced in East Timor in 2003 for use alongside United States Dollar banknotes and coins, which had been introduced in 2000 to replace the Indonesian rupiah...
- Ecuadorian centavo coinsEcuadorian centavo coinsEcuadorian centavo coins were introduced in 2000 when Ecuador converted its currency from the sucre to the U.S. dollar. The coins are in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 centavos and are identical in size and value to their U.S. cent counterparts They circulate within Ecuador alongside coins...
- Guatemalan quetzalGuatemalan quetzalThe quetzal is the currency of Guatemala. It is named after the national bird of Guatemala, the Resplendent Quetzal. In ancient Mayan culture, the quetzal bird's tail feathers were used as currency. It is divided into 100 cents, called centavos in standard Spanish or lenes in Guatemalan slang...
- Honduran lempiraHonduran lempiraThe lempiras is the currency of Honduras. It is subdivided into 100 centavos. The lempira was named after the 16th-century cacique Lempira, a ruler of the indigenous Lenca people, who is renowned in Honduran folklore for leading the local native resistance against the Spanish conquistador forces...
- Mexican pesoMexican pesoThe peso is the currency of Mexico. Modern peso and dollar currencies have a common origin in the 15th–19th century Spanish dollar, most continuing to use its sign, "$". The Mexican peso is the 12th most traded currency in the world, the third most traded in the Americas, and by far the most...
- Mozambican meticalMozambican meticalThe metical is the currency of Mozambique, abbreviated with the symbol MZN or MTn. It is nominally divided into 100 centavos.-First metical :...
- Nicaraguan córdobaNicaraguan córdoba- History :The first córdoba was introduced on March 20, 1912. It replaced the peso at a rate of 12½ pesos = 1 córdoba & was initially equal to the US dollar. It was named after the founder of Nicaragua, Francisco Hernández de Córdoba....
- Philippine pesoPhilippine pesoThe peso is the currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 centavos . Before 1967, the language used on the banknotes and coins was English and so "peso" was the name used...
(In English usage, although sentimoCéntimoThe céntimo was a currency unit of Spain and other countries which were historically influenced by Spain or Portugal . The word derived from the Latin Centum meaning "hundred"...
(céntimo) is used in Filipino.)
Obsolete
- Brazilian cruzeiroBrazilian cruzeiroThe cruzeiro was the currency of Brazil from 1942 to 1986 and again between 1990 and 1993. The name refers to the constellation of the Southern Cross, known in Brazil as Cruzeiro do Sul, or simply Cruzeiro ....
- Costa Rican colónCosta Rican colónThe colón is the currency of Costa Rica. The plural is colones in Spanish, but English speakers often say colons instead. The ISO 4217 code is CRC....
(Between 1917 and 1920 only. As céntimoCéntimoThe céntimo was a currency unit of Spain and other countries which were historically influenced by Spain or Portugal . The word derived from the Latin Centum meaning "hundred"...
for other periods.) - Ecuadorian sucreEcuadorian sucreThe sucre was the currency of Ecuador between 1884 and 2000. Its ISO code was ECS and it was subdivided into 10 decimos or 100 centavos. The sucre was named after Antonio José de Sucre.-History:...
(New centavo coins continued to circulate after the sucre was replaced by U.S. dollarUnited States dollarThe United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
in 2000.) - Salvadoran colónSalvadoran colónThe colón was the currency of El Salvador between 1892 and 2001, until it was substituted by the U.S. Dollar. It was subdivided into 100 centavos and its ISO 4217 code was SVC. The plural is colones in Spanish and was named after Christopher Columbus, known as Cristóbal Colón in Spanish.The symbol...
- Guinea Bissau pesoGuinea Bissau pesoThe peso was the currency of Guinea-Bissau from 1975 to 1997 and was divided into 100 centavos. It replaced the escudo at par. In 1997, Guinea Bissau adopted the CFA franc of the West African States, using a conversion rate of 65 pesos to the franc....
- Mozambican escudoMozambican escudoThe escudo was the currency of Mozambique from 1914 until 1980. It was subdivided into 100 centavos.-History:The escudo replaced the real at a rate of 1 escudo = 1000 réis. It was equal in value to the Portuguese escudo until 1977. Initially, Mozambique had its own paper money but used Portuguese...
- Portuguese escudoPortuguese escudoThe escudo was the currency of Portugal prior to the introduction of the Euro on 1 January 1999 and its removal from circulation on 28 February 2002. The escudo was subdivided into 100 centavos....
(Before the euroEuroThe euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
was introduced) - Portuguese Guinean escudoPortuguese Guinean escudoThe escudo was the currency of Portuguese Guinea between 1914 and 1975. It was equal to the Portuguese escudo and replaced the real at a rate of 1000 réis = 1 escudo. The escudo was subdivided into 100 centavos. Portugal issued banknotes and coins for use in Portuguese Guinea...
- Portuguese Indian escudoPortuguese Indian escudoThe escudo was the currency of Portuguese India between 1958 and 1961. It was divisible into 100 centavos and was equal in value to the Portuguese escudo.-History:The escudo replaced the rúpia at the rate of 1 rúpia = 6 escudos...
- Puerto Rican peso
- São Tomé and Príncipe escudoSão Tomé and Príncipe escudoThe escudo was the currency of São Tomé and Príncipe between 1914 and 1977. It was equivalent to the Portuguese escudo and subdivided into 100 centavos.-History:...
- Venezuelan venezolanoVenezuelan venezolanoThe venezolano was the currency of Venezuela between 1872 and 1879. It was divided into 100 centavos, although the names céntimo and centésimo were also used. Venezolano was also the name of two currencies planned in 1854 and 1865 .-History:The monetary law of 11 May 1871 replaced the peso with the...
- Venezuelan pesoVenezuelan peso-History:Until 1821, the Spanish colonial real circulated in Venezuela. Between 1802 and 1821, the Caracas mint issued reales. In 1811, the United States of Venezuela was declared and issued paper money denominated in reales and pesos, with 8 reales = 1 peso. The Colombian real circulated in...