Mite
Smith’s Bible Dictionary (1863)
a coin current in Palestine in the time of our Lord. (Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21:1-4) It seems in Palestine to have been the smallest piece of money (worth about one-fifth of a cent), being the half of the farthing, which was a coin of very low value. From St. Mark’s explanation, “two mites, which make a farthing,” ver. 42, it may perhaps be inferred that the farthing was the commoner coin.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)
Contraction of minute, from the Latin minutum, the translation of the Greek word lepton, the very smallest bronze of copper coin (Luke 12:59; 21:2). Two mites made one quadrans, i.e., the fourth part of a Roman as, which was in value nearly a halfpenny. (See FARTHING.)
See also: farthing
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