“C-note” is a slang term for a 100‑dollar bill, and the C comes from the Roman numeral “C,” which means 100.

Basic meaning

  • A “C-note” is just another way of saying “one hundred dollars.”
  • The C stands for the Roman numeral for 100, so “C-note” literally means “100 note” or “hundred-dollar bill.”

Where the term comes from

  • In Roman numerals, I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100 , so slang picked up “C” as shorthand for a hundred in money talk.
  • Over time, gamblers, hustlers, and everyday speakers in the U.S. started calling a $100 bill a “C-note,” and the term stuck in movies, TV, and street slang.

How it’s used today

  • You’ll still hear “C-note” in older slang or nostalgic contexts, but younger speakers more often say “Benjamins” or “Franklins,” referring to Benjamin Franklin on the $100 bill.
  • The phrase shows up in rap lyrics, crime dramas, and casual dialogue whenever someone wants a slightly dramatic or old-school way to say “hundred bucks.”

Meta description:
Wondering why it’s called a C-note? The “C” comes from the Roman numeral for 100, making “C-note” classic American slang for a hundred-dollar bill, popular in music, movies, and street talk.

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