the basic monetary unit of most members of the European Union (introduced in 1999); in 2002 twelve European nations (Germany, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Austria, Finland) adopted the euro as their basic unit of money and abandoned their traditional currencies
"After years of waiting, my grandmother finally exchanged her old German marks for shiny new euro coins when they were introduced in 2002."
The currency unit of the European Monetary Union. Symbol: €
"After years of planning, the new euro coins finally began circulating across European markets in 2002."
Macropus robustus, a wallaroo (macropod species).
Alternative spelling of euro, the currency and coin introduced 1999.
In plain English: A euro is the main money people use to buy things in most European countries.
"She carefully counted out twenty euros from her wallet to pay for the coffee."
Usage: Use "euro" to refer exclusively to the official currency and coins used by countries in the Eurozone. Do not use this term for any other form of money or historical currencies from that region.
Clipping of European.
"The euro is often used as a clipping of European in informal contexts, though it technically refers to the currency rather than the continent itself."
In plain English: Euro means something that is related to Europe or its countries.
"The euro zone countries share a single currency."
Usage: Do not use "euro" as an adjective to mean "European," as this is incorrect; instead, use the full word "European." The term "euro" should only be used as a noun to refer to the currency or the continent itself.
A ghost town in Western Australia.
"The abandoned mining settlement of Euro still stands as a haunting reminder of the region's boom-and-bust history."
The word "euro" was chosen through a public contest to name the new European currency, making it a modern invention rather than an ancient loanword. Although it is technically new, the name alludes to the continent's root in Latin and Greek mythology, where Europa was a princess abducted by Zeus.