EU

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does EU mean? 

• EU (noun)
  The noun EU has 2 senses:

1. a bivalent and trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group

2. an international organization of European countries formed after World War II to reduce trade barriers and increase cooperation among its members

  Familiarity information: EU used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EU (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A bivalent and trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

atomic number 63; Eu; europium

Hypernyms ("Eu" is a kind of...):

metal; metallic element (any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.)

Holonyms ("Eu" is a substance of...):

monazite (a reddish-brown mineral containing rare earth metals; an important source of thorium and cerium)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An international organization of European countries formed after World War II to reduce trade barriers and increase cooperation among its members

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

Common Market; EC; EEC; EU; Europe; European Community; European Economic Community; European Union

Context example:

he tried to take Britain into the Europen Union

Hypernyms ("EU" is a kind of...):

global organization; international organisation; international organization; world organisation; world organization (an international alliance involving many different countries)

Meronyms (members of "EU"):

Danmark; Denmark; Kingdom of Denmark (a constitutional monarchy in northern Europe; consists of the mainland of Jutland and many islands between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea)

Espana; Kingdom of Spain; Spain (a parliamentary monarchy in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula; a former colonial power)

Portugal; Portuguese Republic (a republic in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula; Portuguese explorers and colonists in the 15th and 16th centuries created a vast overseas empire (including Brazil))

Grand Duchy of Luxembourg; Luxembourg; Luxemburg (a grand duchy (a constitutional monarchy) landlocked in northwestern Europe between France and Belgium and Germany; an international financial center)

Holland; Kingdom of The Netherlands; Nederland; Netherlands; The Netherlands (a constitutional monarchy in western Europe on the North Sea; half the country lies below sea level)

France; French Republic (a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe)

Eire; Ireland; Irish Republic; Republic of Ireland (a republic consisting of 26 of 32 counties comprising the island of Ireland; achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1921)

Britain; Great Britain; U.K.; UK; United Kingdom; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; 'Great Britain' is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom)

Belgique; Belgium; Kingdom of Belgium (a monarchy in northwestern Europe; headquarters for the European Union and for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

Austria; Oesterreich; Republic of Austria (a mountainous republic in central Europe; under the Habsburgs (1278-1918) Austria maintained control of the Holy Roman Empire and was a leader in European politics until the 19th century)

Italia; Italian Republic; Italy (a republic in southern Europe on the Italian Peninsula; was the core of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire between the 4th century BC and the 5th century AD)

Ellas; Greece; Hellenic Republic (a republic in southeastern Europe on the southern part of the Balkan peninsula; known for grapes and olives and olive oil)

Finland; Republic of Finland; Suomi (republic in northern Europe; achieved independence from Russia in 1917)

Deutschland; Federal Republic of Germany; FRG; Germany (a republic in central Europe; split into East Germany and West Germany after World War II and reunited in 1990)

Kingdom of Sweden; Sverige; Sweden (a Scandinavian kingdom in the eastern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula)

 Context examples 

The EU recommends a maximum of 41.25 volts/metre.

(Health threats caused by mobile phone radiation, EUROPARL TV)

Using transposons to generate new mutations offers a transgene-free method of breeding that acknowledges the current EU legislation on Genetically Modified Organisms.

(Harnessing tomato jumping genes could help speed-breed drought-resistant crops, University of Cambridge)

EXAMPLE(S): "European Union" might be the name of the territory comprised by the EU member states.

(Place Name, NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)

I think we will carry on fighting, because I feel it is our duty to do so, But I think we should set the EU limit at 3 volts/metre.

(Health threats caused by mobile phone radiation, EUROPARL TV)

There is currently no EU legislation forcing Member States to adopt measures about them.

(Health threats caused by mobile phone radiation, EUROPARL TV)

An EU report on the health risks of electromagnetic waves is yet to be published, but what should we be concerned about and how does the EU plan to avoid the risks posed to health?

(Health threats caused by mobile phone radiation, EUROPARL TV)