Eurodollar

/ˈjʊərəˌdɑlər/ noun

Definition

A U.S. dollar deposited in a bank outside the United States, or the market for trading such offshore dollars.

Etymology

Blend of 'Euro-' (originally denoting European location) + 'dollar'; emerged in the 1950s-60s as U.S. dollars accumulated in European banks after WWII and Cold War trade restrictions.

Kelly Says

Eurodollars sparked an underground financial revolution—banks outside U.S. jurisdiction could lend dollars without Federal Reserve oversight, creating a shadow banking system that still influences global finance today and arguably contributed to the 2008 financial crisis.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.