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Glite Dictionary
🌊 A Sicilian cape ⚓ A sea battle
Cape Passero

Cape Passero

9.8
A sea battle in 1719 off the coast of Sicily where Spanish ships were defeated by French and British forces
  • proper noun
translation icon : Cabo Passero
  • The Battle of Cape Passero was significant in 1719, as it saw the Spanish navy defeated by French and British forces.

Examples

  • The Battle of Cape Passero marked a turning point in the Mediterranean naval wars of the early 18th century.

  • The defeat at Cape Passero weakened Spain's efforts to reclaim its Mediterranean territories.

  • Historians still debate the strategies used at Cape Passero during the 1719 naval clash.

  • The historic battle at Cape Passero changed the course of naval warfare.

  • Can you tell me about Cape Passero?

  • During the naval engagement at Cape Passero, the strategies employed by both sides were critically analyzed by historians.

  • Records indicate that the defeat at Cape Passero had lasting effects on Spain's ambitions in the Mediterranean.

Synonyms

Capo Passero
vsCape Passero
8.7

A cape at the south-east corner of Sicily, Italy

is known for a 1719 naval battle rather than just the geographic point
Passero Cape
vsCape Passero
8.4

A cape at the southeastern tip of Sicily

is remembered mainly for a naval defeat there in 1719 rather than location

Surface Forms

Cape Passero main

Morphology

cape + Passero

The noun 'cape' clearly denotes a promontory and 'Passero' functions as a proper name, so the conventional pattern 'Cape + Name' transparently signals a geographic headland; a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer it is a place. They would not, however, be able to deduce the specific historical fact (the 1719 naval battle) from the name alone, but the toponymic meaning itself is compositional and predictable.

Etymology

Cape Passero was the place where ships fought in 1719. Because the fight happened off this headland, people call the clash the 'Battle of Cape Passero'.