rijksdaalder, noun

Forms:
riksdaaler, riksdalerShow more Also riksdaaler, riksdaler, rixdaaler, ryksdaalder.
Origin:
DutchShow more Dutch, see rix-dollar.
historical
a. rix-dollar. b. dollar sense b. Also attributive.
1817 G. Barker Journal. 18 JuneI bought several things. Also a cow of him for 12 Rixdaalers.
a1878 J. Montgomery Reminisc. (1981) 56The Colonel..gave me a bundle of rixdaler notes, quite a large sum.
1914 L.H. Brinkman Breath of Karroo 146The old Dutch ryksdaalder was equal to eighteenpence in English money, and was for many years the standard of reckoning; so much so that the term ‘dollar’ has survived in the Colony to this day to designate the sum of eighteenpence.
1919 M. Greenlees tr. of O.F. Mentzel’s Life at Cape in Mid-18th C. 77The occupiers have to pay to the Company a ground-rent of twenty-four rijksdaalders per annum.
1931 H.C. Bosman in V. Rosenberg Almost Forgotten Stories (1979) 13She remembered that one night-dress she made. It was very fine stuff that cost a riks-daler a yard.
1934 C.P. Swart Supplement to Pettman. 145Today the word riksdaler or daalder is used in S.A. to denote 1/6.
1968 K. McMagh Dinner of Herbs 60The currency of that time was the ‘rix-daler’...The original silver coinage had been replaced by a paper rix-daler which had dropped in value.
dollar sense b. Also attributive.
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18171968