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groat (noun) – An English silver coin worth four pence, used from the 14th to the 17th century.

Source : The Free Dictionary

Etymology : Medieval European coin, late 14th century, probably from Middle Dutch groot, elliptical use of the adjective meaning “great, big” (in this case, “thick”), from the name of some large coin (for example the Bremen grote sware, and compare Medieval Latin grossi denarii in reference to a Prague coin) to distinguish it from smaller coins of the same name. Cognate with English great. Recognised from 13th century in various nations. The original English groat coined of 1351-2 was worth four pence; it was discontinued in 1622.

Peter is a fourth-generation New Zealander, with his mother's and father's folks having arrived in New Zealand in the 1870s. He lives in Lower Hutt with his wife, some cats and assorted computers. His...