cul-de-sac

/ˈkʌl.də.sæk/ French Origin General

Original Word

cul-de-sac

French

Entered English

19th century

First recorded usage in English

The Story Behind "cul-de-sac"

From French 'cul-de-sac', literally 'bottom of the sack'. An anatomical term adopted by urban planners for a dead-end street. The French themselves now use the English loanword 'impasse' for the same concept.

Example Usage

"They live in a quiet cul-de-sac at the end of the neighborhood."

All French Loanwords Look Up in Dictionary

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