▪ I. ‖ louis Hist.
(ˈluːiː)
Pl. louis. Also 7–8 in English form lewis, pl. lewis('s.
[F. louis, appellative use of the Christian name borne by many French kings.]
= louis d'or. Also † silver lewis: the French écu of the 17–18th c.
| 1689 Lond. Gaz. No. 2498/4 They took away..a quantity of Broad Pieces, Guinea's, Lewis's, Medals, &c. 1704 Royal Proclam. 18 June ibid. No. 4029/1 Ecu's of France, or Silver Lewis, Seventeen Peny-weight Twelve Grains, Four Shillings and Six Pence. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho v, He threw down all the money he had, except a very few louis. 1818 Byron Juan i. cviii, A good deal may be bought for fifty Louis. 1900 Ld. Rosebery Napoleon iii. 54 He sends with the challenge a gun and six louis which he had borrowed of his enemy. |
▪ II. louis
variant of lewis.