Pronunciation: [lˈa͡ɪ͡ə] (IPA) 
The word "Lire" is spelled with four letters, but it is pronounced with two syllables. The first syllable "li" is pronounced with a long "ee" sound, like in the word "tree". The second syllable "re" is pronounced with a schwa sound, like in the word "the". The IPA phonetic transcription of "Lire" is /liːər/. This word is commonly used in Italian to refer to their former national currency, the Italian Lira.
Lire, in its various usages, refers to different things and therefore has multiple dictionary definitions.
As a noun, "lire" primarily denotes the former currency of Italy, which was used before it switched to the euro in 2002. In this context, "lire" refers to both the banknotes and the monetary unit, similar to the concept of the dollar or the pound. For example, one could say, "The price of that item is 10,000 lire."
Lire can also be a verb, specifically the second person singular present indicative form of "lire," which is the French word for "to read." In this sense, "lire" means the act of perceiving and understanding written or printed material through the use of one's eyes. For instance, you could say, "You lire beautifully," as a compliment to someone's reading abilities.
Additionally, "lire" can also function as a noun meaning the basic unit of measurement for distance in musical notation. In music, a "lire" represents the time equivalent to an entire note or a semibreve in British English. This can be seen in sentences such as, "The composer used a lire to indicate a long duration for this note."
In conclusion, "lire" can mean the former Italian currency, the act of reading in French, or a unit of musical time in notation depending on the context in which it is used.
The word "lire" is derived from the Latin word "libra", which originally meant "balance" or "scales". In ancient Rome, the libra was a unit of weight and subsequently became the name of the Roman pound. Over time, libra started to be used as a unit of currency and was adopted by various European countries. The French language eventually adapted "libra" into "livre" to refer to their currency, and it later evolved into "lire" to designate the Italian currency.
