leu
noun
a coin and monetary unit of Romania, equal to 100 bani. L.
leu
1 American
[le-oo]
/ ˈlɛ ʊ /
Also
ley
noun
plural
lei
Leu
2
American
abbreviation
Biochemistry.
leu
British
/ ˈleɪuː /
noun
Etymology
Origin of leu
First recorded in 1875–80; from Romanian: literally, “lion”; based on Turkish arslanlι ( arslan “lion” + -lι adjective suffix), a name given to the Dutch rijksdaalder, which circulated in the later Ottoman Empire and bore the image of a lion ( see lion ( 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.
Romania's currency, the leu, fell to a record low against the euro ahead of Tuesday's vote.
From BBC • May 5, 2026
The Romanian leu , one of the world's worst performing currencies this month, traded flat at 4.9479 to the euro by 1050 GMT.
From Reuters • Nov. 25, 2021
Otter stated that he had directed the state’s Department of Administration to immediately pay for the entire program through the end of fiscal year 2013-2014 in leu of the withheld federal payments.
From Washington Times • Jul. 12, 2015
In Sighisoara, young and old lined up in the rain to pay one leu for truly piping-hot covrigi at the sales window of Gigi.
From New York Times • Jan. 27, 2014
I had no money, but I unclipped the Romanian leu from the end of my watch chain and passed it through the trapdoor in the ceiling.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
