'denarius' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'denarius', where 'deni-' meant 'ten each' (originally indicating a value of ten asses).

'denarius' was used in Classical Latin, continued in Late and Medieval Latin, and was borrowed into English (via Neo-Latin) as 'denarius' in early modern scholarship and translations of classical and biblical texts.

Initially, it meant 'a coin worth ten asses' in Roman times; over time it came to be known generally as 'a Roman silver coin' and, in biblical and historical usage, as a unit representing a day's wage or a small sum.