pe·cu·ni·ar·y

[pi-kyoo-nee-er-ee]
adjective
1.
of or pertaining to money: pecuniary difficulties.
2.
consisting of or given or exacted in money or monetary payments: pecuniary tributes.
3.
(of a crime, violation, etc.) involving a money penalty or fine.

Origin:
1495–1505; < Latin pecūniārius, derivative of pecūnia property, money (pecūn-, derivative of pecū flock (see peculiar), with -ūn- as in tribūna tribune1, fortūna fortune, etc. + -ia -ia); see -ary

pe·cu·ni·ar·i·ly [pi-kyoo-nee-air-i-lee] , adverb
non·pe·cu·ni·ar·y, adjective


1, 2. See financial.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To pecuniary
00:10
Pecuniary is an SAT word you need to know.
So is obtuse. Does it mean:
mental and emotional strength in facing difficulty, adversity, danger, or temptation courageously:
not perceptive
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World English Dictionary
pecuniary (pɪˈkjuːnɪərɪ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
1.  consisting of or relating to money
2.  law (of an offence) involving a monetary penalty
 
[C16: from Latin pecūniāris, from pecūnia money]
 
pe'cuniarily
 
adv

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

pecuniary
c.1500, from L. pecuniarius "pertaining to money," from pecunia "money, property, wealth," from pecu "cattle, flock," from PIE base *peku- (cf. Skt. pasu- "cattle," Goth. faihu "money, fortune," O.E. feoh "cattle, money"). Livestock was the measure of wealth in the ancient world. For a related sense
development in O.E., see fee. Cf. also Welsh tlws "jewel," cognate with Ir. tlus "cattle," connected via notion of "valuable thing."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Only where there is pecuniary equality can the distinction of merit stand out.
Whether her virtual carrots always work better than real pecuniary sticks is
  debatable.
By most reasonable standards, the pecuniary advantages of a college education
  are declining a bit for a majority of new workers.
In order to justify policy intervention, these concerns must be about
  externalities, either pecuniary or technological.
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