🏞️ A city in Idaho 🪶 A Native American group

Coeur d'Alene

5 8.1

A town in northern Idaho by a large lake that attracts visitors

proper noun
/kɔr dɑˈleɪn/

: Coeur d'Alene

Have you ever visited Coeur d'Alene?
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Coeur d'Alene Resort
Coeur d'Alene Lake

Examples

The annual music festival in Coeur d'Alene attracts tourists from all over the country.
Coeur d'Alene attracts tourists year-round with its beautiful scenery and vibrant local culture.
Many artists are inspired by the natural beauty surrounding Coeur d'Alene.
They spent their summer vacation in Coeur d'Alene, enjoying the lakes and outdoor activities.
I am planning a trip to Coeur d'Alene this summer.
Families often visit Coeur d'Alene during the summer to enjoy its beautiful lake and outdoor activities.
Coeur d'Alene is famous for its scenic views and vibrant community events throughout the year.

Surface Forms

Coeur d'Alene main

Morphology

Coeur + d'Alene

This is a proper name (toponym/ethnonym) borrowed from French; the literal parts ('coeur' = heart, 'd'Alene' = of Alene) do not transparently encode the meaning 'a member of a Native American people' and the phrase functions as an arbitrary name. A B1 learner who knows the surface constituents (or even their French senses) would not infer the ethnographic sense without specific cultural or historical knowledge, so the expression is opaque.

Etymology

Coeur d'Alene is named after the local Native people who lived by the lake. Their name comes from French words coeur ('heart') and alène ('awl'), and one popular story says French traders called them 'heart of the awl' because they were sharp at trading, so the town kept that name.