Greenback
A “greenback” is a slang term for the U.S. paper dollar.
Greenbacks – unsurprisingly – get their name from their distinctive colour, however it’s worth noting that it hasn’t always been a positive term. In the mid-1800s the Continental Congress in the U.S. did not possess taxing authority over the population, and hence the greenback was used in a negative context as banks were reluctant to give consumers the full value of the dollar.
Back to Glossary