Kalmar "piastre" yawanci tana nufin wani tsohon ɓangaren kuɗin da ake amfani da shi a ƙasashe daban-daban a baya, musamman a yankin Bahar Rum. Kalmar ta fito ne daga “piastra” na Italiyanci, wanda ke nufin “faranti” ko “launi,” kuma asalinsa yana nufin tsabar azurfa. fam, kamar yadda piastre ɗaya yayi daidai da 1/100 na fam ɗin Masar. Duk da haka, an yi amfani da kalmar a tarihi don yin nuni ga kudade a wasu ƙasashe ma, kamar Siriya, Labanon, da Turkiyya.