euro

¹ American  

[yoor-oh, yur-] / ˈyʊər oʊ, ˈyɜr- /

noun

plural

euros,

plural

euro

1. wallaroo.

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euro ² American  

[yoor-oh, yur-] / ˈyʊər oʊ, ˈyɜr- /

noun

plural

euros, euro

1. (sometimes initial capital letter) the official common currency of 19 European Union nations (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain). It is also the official currency of Andorra, Kosovo, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino, and the Vatican City. In 1999 the euro was first adopted by 11 nations as an alternative currency in noncash transactions. Then in 2002 the euro fully replaced existing currencies in 12 European Union nations, before being adopted more widely. €

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Euro ³ American  

[yoor-oh, yur-] / ˈyʊər oʊ, ˈyɜr- /

adjective

Informal.

1. European.

   a Euro expert.

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Euro- ⁴ American  

especially before a vowel, Eur-

1. a shortening of European used as a combining form, especially with the meaning “western European,” particularly in reference to the European financial market or the European Economic Community.

   Eurodollar; Eurofarmers.

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euro ¹ British  

/ ˈjʊərəʊ /

noun

1. the official currency unit, divided into 100 cents, of the member countries of the European Union who have adopted European Monetary Union; these are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portgual, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain; also used by Andorra, Bosnia-Herzegovina, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Kosovo, Martinique, Mayotte, Monaco, Montenegro, Réunion, San Marino, and the Vatican City

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euro- ² British  

/ ˈjʊərəʊ- /

combining form

1. Europe or European

   eurodollar

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euro Cultural  

1. The common currency used in eleven countries of the European Union (Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain). The euro became the official currency of these nations in 1999, but nations were not obliged to phase out their existing currencies until 2002. The expectation is that introduction of the euro will stimulate cross-border investment by eliminating fluctuating exchange rates.

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Etymology

Origin of euro¹

From Ngajuri (an Australian Aboriginal language spoken around Jamestown and Peterborough, South Australia) yuru

Origin of euro²

1970–75; shortening of Eurocurrency

Origin of Euro³

Independent use of Euro-

Explanation

The currency of money in most countries that belong to the European Union is called the euro. If you buy a cup of coffee in France, it may cost three euros. When you travel to most parts of Europe, you'll have to exchange your dollars for euros. Since 2002, most of the countries in the European Union switched from their individual currencies to the euro as a common unit of money. There are still several EU members that haven't adopted the euro, so you may also have to stock up on British pounds and Polish zlotys. Euro, coined in 1996, is short for European.

Example Sentences

They have lived through other scares, including the dot-com bubble bursting, the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and the 2011-12 euro zone crisis.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

The pound was flat against the euro and BOE Governor Andrew Bailey could damp expectations for rate rises in a speech later, leaving sterling vulnerable, ING said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

The ceasefire also led to a sharp drop in the dollar, which had become a safe-haven while the war raged, with the yen, euro and pound all strengthening.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

The ceasefire also led to a sharp drop in the dollar, which had become the safe-haven while the war raged, with the yen, euro and pound all strengthening.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

That, in combination with the advent of the euro as a common currency, has created a single economic zone out of a region once divided by an Iron Curtain.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman