lira

Lira is a term used in various contexts, most prominently as the name of several currencies and, less commonly, as a place name or personal name. The word derives from the Latin libra, meaning weight or pound, and entered several Romance languages with that sense.

Currencies

Italian lira: The lira was the official currency of Italy from 1861 until the adoption of the euro in 2002. It was subdivided into 100 centesimi and issued by the Bank of Italy. After the euro’s introduction, the lira ceased to be legal tender, with the fixed conversion rate set at 1 euro = 1,936.27 Italian lire.

Turkish lira: The lira is the currency of the Republic of Turkey and, in practice, of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Since 1923 it has undergone several reforms; in 2005 a major redenomination introduced the New Turkish Lira, with 1 New Lira equal to 1,000,000 old lira, and in 2009 the currency was renamed simply Turkish Lira (TRY). It is issued by the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey.

Maltese lira: Malta used the Maltese lira from 1972 until it adopted the euro in 2008. It was subdivided into 100 cents and was replaced at a fixed rate of 0.4293 euros per lira.

Other uses

Lira is also a place name, notably Lira, a city in northern Uganda that serves as the capital of Lira District in the Northern Region. Additionally, Lira is used as a personal name in various cultures.