the 100th part of the monetary units of various nations, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Mexico, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Peru, and the Philippines.
Origin
1880-85; < Spanish: the 100th part, equivalent to cent- 100 (see cent) + -avo < Latin-āvum as in octāvum eighth; see octavo
British Dictionary definitions for centavo
centavo
/sɛnˈtɑːvəʊ/
noun (pl) -vos
1.
a monetary unit of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Mexico, Mozambique, Nicaragua, and the Philippines. It is worth one hundredth of their respective standard units
2.
a former monetary unit of Ecuador, El Salvador, and Portugal, worth one hundredth of their former standard units