Shekel or sheqel is an ancient Mesopotamian coin, usually of silver. A shekel was first a unit of weight—very roughly 11 grams —and became currency in ancient Tyre and ancient Carthage and then in ancient Israel under the Maccabees.

plural noun. variants also sheqels or shekelim or shekalim or sheqalim. Definition of shekels. as in money. something (as pieces of stamped metal or printed paper) customarily and legally used as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment if I had the shekels, I'd be first in line to buy one of the new vehicles.