Definition of "groat"

groat¹

/ɡɹoʊt/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural groats
1. (chiefly in the plural) Hulled grain, chiefly hulled oats.

groat²

/ɡɹoʊt/

noun
plural groats
1. (archaic or historical) Any of various old coins of England and Scotland.
  Quotations
  The Widdow that hath but a pan of braſſe,And ſcarſe a houſe to hide her head,Sometimes no penny to buy her bread,Muſt pay her Landlord many a groat,Or twil be puld out of her throat:
  1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], Act I
2. A historical English silver coin worth four English pennies, still minted as one of the set of Maundy coins.
  Quotations
  The needy groom, that never finger'd groat,Would make a miracle of thus much coin …
  c. 1589–1590, Christopher Marlo[we], edited by Tho[mas] Heywood, The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Ievv of Malta. […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for Nicholas Vavasour, […], published 1633, Act I
3. A proverbial small sum; a whit or jot.