sou
UK[suː]US[suː]
n
A former French coin of low value.
n
Any small or insignificant amount of money.
Etymology
The word 'sou' entered English in the early 18th century directly from French, where it denoted a coin of minimal value. The French term itself originated from the Old French 'sol', which was derived from the Late Latin 'solidus', the name of a Roman gold coin. This etymological journey from a substantial Roman currency to a term for a trifling sum illustrates a classic process of semantic depreciation, where the name of a valuable coin is retained even as its worth diminishes over centuries.
Analysis
This word is a loanword from French. It does not contain separable, meaningful morphemes within its modern English spelling.
Examples
He didn't have a sou to his name after the venture failed.
The old miser wouldn't part with a single sou.
It's not worth a sou; you should just throw it away.