*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of lira

From Italian lira, from Latin lībra (partly via Turkish lira, Arabic لِيرَة (līra), Maltese lira, Greek λίρα (líra), and Hebrew לִירָה (lirá), all of which are originally from the Italian). Doublet of arratel, libbra, Li

3 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 3 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
noun

The basic unit of currency in Turkey. · The currency of Lebanon (also pound), Syria (also pound), Jordan (also dinar) · The former currency of Italy, Malta, San Marino, Cyprus and the Vatican City, superseded by the euro

noun

The former currency of Israel, superseded by the sheqel.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Italian lira, from Latin lībra (partly via Turkish lira, Arabic لِيرَة (līra), Maltese lira, Greek λίρα (líra), and Hebrew לִירָה (lirá), all of which are originally from the Italian). Doublet of arratel, libbra, Libra, libra, litra, litre, livre, and rottol.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "it",
        "3": "lira"
      },
      "expansion": "Italian lira"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "lībra"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin lībra"
    },
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "tr",
        "3": "lira"
      },
      "expansion": "Turkish lira"
    },
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ar",
        "3": "لِيرَة"
      },
      "expansion": "Arabic لِيرَة (līra)"
    },
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "mt",
        "3": "lira"
      },
      "expansion": "Maltese lira"
    },
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "el",
        "3": "λίρα"
      },
      "expansion": "Greek λίρα (líra)"
    },
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "he",
        "3": "לִירָה",
        "tr": "lirá"
      },
      "expansion": "Hebrew לִירָה (lirá)"
    },
    {
      "name": "doublet",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "arratel",
        "3": "libbra",
        "4": "Libra",
        "5": "libra",
        "6": "litra",
        "7": "litre",
        "8": "livre",
        "9": "rottol"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of arratel, libbra, Libra, libra, litra, litre, livre, and rottol"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "lira",
      "lira#Italian"
    ],
    [
      "lībra",
      "libra#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "lira",
      "lira#Turkish"
    ],
    [
      "لِيرَة",
      "ليرة#Arabic"
    ],
    [
      "lira",
      "lira#Maltese"
    ],
    [
      "λίρα",
      "λίρα#Greek"
    ],
    [
      "לִירָה",
      "לירה#Hebrew"
    ],
    [
      "arratel",
      "arratel#English"
    ],
    [
      "libbra",
      "libbra#English"
    ],
    [
      "Libra",
      "Libra#English"
    ],
    [
      "libra",
      "libra#English"
    ],
    [
      "litra",
      "litra#English"
    ],
    [
      "litre",
      "litre#English"
    ],
    [
      "livre",
      "livre#English"
    ],
    [
      "rottol",
      "rottol#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "The basic unit of currency in Turkey.",
        "The currency of Lebanon (also pound), Syria (also pound), Jordan (also dinar)",
        "The former currency of Italy, Malta, San Marino, Cyprus and the Vatican City, superseded by the euro"
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "791ad0bfa48a7f0482f16590ae00267ee9479192a39f7f53ba8162b6861bb02c",
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    },
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      "glosses": [
        "The former currency of Israel, superseded by the sheqel."
      ],
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    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
noun

A Ukrainian folk musical instrument similar to the hurdy-gurdy.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Ukrainian ліра (lira), ultimately related to the Byzantine lyra (Ancient Greek λύρα (lúra)). Doublet of Lyra, lyra, and lyre.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "uk",
        "3": "ліра"
      },
      "expansion": "Ukrainian ліра (lira)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "λύρα"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek λύρα (lúra)"
    },
    {
      "name": "doublet",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Lyra",
        "3": "lyra",
        "4": "lyre"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of Lyra, lyra, and lyre"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "ліра",
      "ліра#Ukrainian"
    ],
    [
      "λύρα",
      "λύρα#Ancient_Greek"
    ],
    [
      "Lyra",
      "Lyra#English"
    ],
    [
      "lyra",
      "lyra#English"
    ],
    [
      "lyre",
      "lyre#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A Ukrainian folk musical instrument similar to the hurdy-gurdy."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "5d9d5c295548b1c004433f14a08abe11299324c109dbc46935a11d857de2629c",
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      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 172057
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  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
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}

Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗
noun

Any of a set of fine ridges on the shells of some molluscs

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Latin līra (“furrow”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Borrowed-form mentionlīrala
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "līra",
        "4": "",
        "5": "furrow"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin līra (“furrow”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "līra",
      "lira#Latin"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "Any of a set of fine ridges on the shells of some molluscs"
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "fe7b8430d735983774abf588769bf3d3de6db35567a9c269b75b8cb913ebfe3c",
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      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 172058
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}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

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Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-bGlyYQ