écu

¹

[ey-kyoo, ey-ky]

noun

plural

écus 

1. the shield carried by a mounted man-at-arms in the Middle Ages.

2. any of various gold and silver coins of France, issued from the 13th through the 18th centuries, bearing the figure of a shield.

ECU

²

[ey-koo, ee-see-yoo]

noun

1. a former money of account of the European Common Market that was used in international finance until the euro was adopted and was based on the combined prorated values of the currencies of member nations.

E.C.U.

³

abbreviation

1. English Church Union.

écu

¹

/ eɪˈkjuː, eky /

noun

1. any of various former French gold or silver coins

2. a small shield

ECU

²

/ ˈiːˈsiːˈjuː, ˈeɪkjuː /

acronym

1. European Currency Unit: a former unit of currency based on the composite value of several different currencies in the European Union and functioning as both the reserve asset and the accounting unit of the European Monetary System; replaced by the euro in 1999

Word History and Origins

Origin of écu¹

1695–1705; < French; Old French escu < Latin scūtum shield

Origin of écu²

E(uropean) C(urrency) U(nit), perhaps with play on écu ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of écu¹

C18: from Old French escu, from Latin scūtum shield