Monies

Monies is the plural form of money used in formal or legal contexts to refer to distinct sums of funds, typically held in separate accounts or arising from different sources. Money, in general, is a medium of exchange and a store of value; in everyday language it is treated as a mass noun, as in “a lot of money” or “three thousand dollars.” The plural monies is therefore reserved for situations where the distinction between separate funds matters.

Etymology notes: Money derives from Latin moneta, transferred to English via Old French and Old English. The form monies developed in English to denote multiple monetary sums in official texts, though the less common spelling moneys also appears in some sources.

Usage and contexts: Monies is most commonly found in legal, governmental, and corporate writing. It may appear in phrases such as “the monies allocated,” “the monies received,” or “estate monies placed in a trust.” In standard everyday writing, money or funds is usually preferred, with monies used primarily to emphasize separate pools of funds or in formal documentation.

Summary: While money is the standard term for financial value in ordinary language, monies is used in formal contexts to refer to multiple sums or sources of money. For most purposes, writers choose money or funds; monies offers a precise emphasis on distinct monetary allocations in legal and official texts.