Europa

noun

Eu·ro·pa yu̇-ˈrō-pə

: a Phoenician princess carried off by Zeus in the form of a white bull and by him mother of Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek Eurōpē

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of Europa was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Europa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Europa. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.

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