euro
Euro (noun) means the official currency shared by many European Union countries. Example: “The meal cost twenty euros.”
How to use euro
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe common currency used across most of the European Union.
Word forms
euros plural
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The meal cost twenty _____.
Etymology
The name euro was the winner of a contest open to the general public to propose names for the new European currency, and as such is technically a neologism, although it obviously alludes to the common root of geographical names for the continent Europe, derived from Latin Europa, from Ancient Greek Εὐρώπη (Eurṓpē), the name in Greek mythology of a princess, abducted by Zeus as a bull across the Bosporus. According to the official story, the term was coined by Belgian teacher and esperantist Germain Pirlot in 1995, who suggested it in a letter to Jacques Santer, then President of the European Commission.
Rhymes for euro
See all rhymes for euro →Frequently asked questions
What does “euro” mean?
The word “euro” means the official currency shared by many European Union countries. In plain terms, the common currency used across most of the European Union.
How do you pronounce “euro”?
“Euro” is pronounced YOOR-roh (/ˈjʊɹoʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “euro” in a sentence?
Here is “euro” used in a sentence: “The meal cost twenty euros.”
What part of speech is “euro”?
“Euro” is a noun.
Is “euro” a common word?
“Euro” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the plural of euro — euro or euros?
In everyday English, euros is the normal plural: "The coffee cost three euros." Official European Union texts in English have historically used euro unchanged as the plural ("10 million euro"), and that style persists in some formal documents. Both are understood everywhere; euros is the safe choice in ordinary writing.
Should euro be capitalized?
No. Like dollar, pound, and yen, euro is a common noun and is written in lower case in running text: "It costs ten euros." It takes a capital letter only where any word would, such as at the start of a sentence.
Do all EU countries use the euro?
No. The euro is the official currency shared by many European Union countries — the group known as the eurozone — but some EU members keep their own national currencies, such as Denmark's krone and Sweden's krona. Membership of the eurozone has grown over time as more countries adopt the currency.
What symbol and code are used for the euro?
The euro's currency sign is € and its international three-letter code is EUR. Placement of the symbol varies by country: some write €10 while others write 10 €. The code EUR is standard in banking, travel booking, and exchange-rate listings.
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