Eurostar

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A high-speed passenger train service that runs through the Channel Tunnel between Britain and continental Europe
2. The brand name of the fast international rail network connecting London with cities such as Paris and Brussels under the sea
3. A fast cross-Channel railway service that carries travellers between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe via the tunnel beneath the English Channel

Etymology: Eurostar is a brand name rather than an ordinary word: it was coined as the commercial name for the high-speed passenger train service linking London with Paris and Brussels through the Channel Tunnel. The name is a blend of "Euro", recalling the continental destinations and the European rail network it connects to, and "star", suggesting speed and prestige. Because it began life as a trade name, it is capitalised, and its use as a general noun for any fast cross-Channel train grew out of that single service.