shroff

[ shrof ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

(in India) a banker or money-changer.
(in East Asia, especially China) a local expert employed to test the purity of a coin’s metal content, especially silver or gold.

to test (coins) to ascertain the purity of the metal content, especially silver or gold.

shroff

/ ʃrɒf /

(in China, Japan, etc, esp formerly) an expert employed to separate counterfeit money or base coin from the genuine
(in India) a moneychanger or banker

Origin of shroff¹

First recorded in 1610–20; earlier sharoffe from Portuguese xarrafo, probably from Gujarati śaraf, from Arabic ṣayrāfī “moneychanger”

Origin of shroff¹

C17: from Portuguese xarrafo, from Hindi sarrāf moneychanger, from Arabic

[WWD] Editor's note: This story has been updated with a comment from Ms. Lederhaas-Okun's attorney Sabria Shroff.

Reached by phone Friday, the lawyer, Sabrina Shroff, said she would not comment on details of the case.

If any money stamped by a Shroff on examination proved bad, it was exchanged by him, but such cases were extremely rare.

I have heard of as much as fifty taels (about $70) being paid to an important Shroff-shop for such a transaction.

There now remains the Shroff, or money dealer, whose services were indispensable, particularly in receipts.

The Red Wand stood by the abacus, rattling the brown beads with flying fingers, like a shroff.

The Julamerik shroff sent word that the English sovereign is selling at 16s.

April 23, 2024inveterate

[in-vet-er-it ]

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