WORD FOR THE DAY: BENJI

Your word for today is: benji, n.

benji, n.

[‘A one-hundred-dollar bill. Cf. Benjamin n.⁴’]

Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈbɛn(d)ʒi/,  U.S. /ˈbɛndʒi/

Inflections:  Plural  benjies,  benjis.

Forms: also with capital initial.

Etymology: <  Benji, pet-form of the male forename Benjamin (see Benjamin n.³), with allusion to the name of Benjamin Franklin (seeBenjamin n.⁴). Compare later Benjamin n.⁴ and also dead president n. at dead adj., n.¹, and adv. Additions.

 U.S. slang.

  A one-hundred-dollar bill. Cf. Benjamin n.⁴

1985 Kid's World Almanac 148 $100—benji, C-note.

1993  S. Kuriscak Casino Talk 6 Benji, a $100 bill.

1997  ‘Notorious B.I.G.’ in It's All about Benjamins (song, perf. ‘Puff Daddy’)in Hip-hop & Rap (2003) 229 To Hell I send thee, all about the Benjis.

1998 Village Voice (N.Y.) 8 Sept. 77 Watch kids who can barely afford food put down a benji for a pair of Nikes.

2004 Sports Illustr. (Electronic ed.) 2 Feb. 74 Kirk was at a point in his personal development when an educational visit to the Greek sponge-fishing town of Tarpon Springs held greater allure than peeling off Benjies at a lap-dance club.

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