écu
noun
the shield carried by a mounted man-at-arms in the Middle Ages.
écu
1 American
[ay-kyoo, ay-ky]
/ eɪˈkju, eɪˈkü /
noun
-
écus
plural
-
the shield carried by a mounted man-at-arms in the Middle Ages.
-
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
American
[ay-koo, ee-see-yoo]
/ eɪˈku, ˈiˈsiˈju /
noun
E.C.U.
3
American
abbreviation
écu
1
British
/ eɪˈkjuː, eky /
noun
-
any of various former French gold or silver coins
-
a small shield
ECU
2
British
/ ˈiːˈsiːˈjuː, ˈeɪkjuː /
acronym
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of écu1
1695–1705; < French; Old French escu < Latin scūtum shield
Origin of ECU2
E(uropean) C(urrency) U(nit), perhaps with play on écu ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Then taking a little leathern purse from his breast, he slipped an écu into the mountaineer's hand.
From A Night on the Borders of the Black Forest by Amelia Ann Blanford Edwards
Charles would not or could not contribute a single écu d'or, and Joan had to solicit help and funds from the towns.
From Joan of Arc by Ronald Sutherland Gower
In which sport she was so taken up with her hands, that she forgot to cheat, and Denys won "écu au soleil" of her.
From The Cloister and the Hearth A Tale of the Middle Ages by Charles Reade
A pistole now represents 10 francs, and an écu 3 francs.
From Wanderings by southern waters, eastern Aquitaine by Edward Harrison Barker
The marcandiers had to pay an écu; they were tramps clothed in a tolerably good doublet, who passed themselves off as merchants ruined by war, by fire, or by having been robbed on the highway.
From Manners, Customs, and Dress During the Middle Ages and During the Renaissance Period by P. L. Jacob
Aberdeenshire Council - a formal consultee - responded to the ECU with an objection, unless various conditions are met to "secure appropriate environmental controls".
From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2026
The ECU rules on whether BBC output has broken the corporation's editorial guidelines.
From BBC ● Feb. 25, 2026
“Our guys are swinging and missing it by, like, three feet,” ECU coach Cliff Godwin said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2025
According to ECU Senior Research Fellow Dr. Marc Sim, even after adjusting for supplement use, diet, lifestyle factors, and genetic risk, the outcomes did not change.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2025
In November 1992, Sweden broke its tie to the EC's ECU, and the krona has since depreciated around 2.5% against the dollar.
From The 1993 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency
As a holder of two degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and as an assistant professor at E.C.U.,
From Time Magazine Archive
E.C.U., for "The Esoteric Christian Union," founded by E.M. in 1891.
From The Story of Anna Kingsford and Edward Maitland and of the new Gospel of Interpretation by Edward Maitland
Eleven years later Dr. Pusey wrote: "As to his being President of the E.C.U., he is the sense and moderation of it."
From Prime Ministers and Some Others A Book of Reminiscences by George William Erskine Russell
It would be ridiculous for an outsider, like myself, to discuss the interior working of the E.C.U., so I avail myself of the testimony which has reached me from within.
From Prime Ministers and Some Others A Book of Reminiscences by George William Erskine Russell
Statement, E.C.U., for "The New Gospel of Interpretation; being an Abstract of the Doctrine and Statement of the Objects of the Esoteric Christian Union," by E.M.; revised and enlarged edition, 1892.
From The Story of Anna Kingsford and Edward Maitland and of the new Gospel of Interpretation by Edward Maitland
The Prince de Condé having been discharged from prison on October 20th, 1619, the king forwarded to him his commission of viceroy, and the Company of Rouen granted him a thousand écus.
From The Makers of Canada: Champlain by N.-E. (Narcisse-Eutrope) Dionne
If I would put down fifty écus, the cow was mine.
From Nobody's Boy Sans Famille by Florence Crewe-Jones
His merchandise which was seized by Kirke was valued at about forty thousand écus.
From The Makers of Canada: Champlain by N.-E. (Narcisse-Eutrope) Dionne
It was at an expense of two hundred thousand écus that the welcoming fête was accomplished.
From Royal Palaces and Parks of France by Blanche McManus
This, one reads in the court chronicle, and further that: "The royal family usually lost a hundred thousand écus at play at each visit."
From Royal Palaces and Parks of France by Blanche McManus
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