agio
(ˈædʒɪəʊ, ˈeɪdʒɪəʊ)
[a. It. agio, aggio ease, convenience.]
1. The percentage of charge made for the exchange of paper-money into cash, or for the exchange of a less valuable metallic currency into one more valuable; hence, the excess value of one currency over another.
| 1682 J. Scarlett Stile of Exch. 3 One party allows the other a certain profit upon the certain species he desireth; and that profit is called by the Italians Aggio. 1776 Adam Smith W.N. I. ii. ii. 330 Bank money..bears an agio of four or five per cent. 1860 Ellicott Life of our Lord vii. 293 The agio exacted in changing common money into sacred, or the shekel into two half-shekels was great. 1875 Jevons Money viii. 72 Yet an agio, or allowance, being made for the average depreciation, the old standard of value and money of account may be retained. |
2. loosely, Money-changing, exchange-business.
| 1817 Scott Rob Roy (1855) 11 The mysteries of agio, tariffs, tare and tret. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. II. v. ii. 285 Chabot, disfrocked Capuchin, skilful in agio. [Cf. ‘Cet homme entend l'agio.’ Littré.] |
3. Comb. agio-jobber.
| 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. (1871) III. iv. iv. 154 Lest Girondin Monsieurs, Agio-jobbers..corrupt their morals. |