Pas de Calais

6.2

A narrow sea passage between England and France

proper noun

: Estrecho de Calais

The Pas de Calais is known for being the narrowest part of the English Channel.

Examples

Many ships travel daily through the Pas de Calais due to its strategic location.
Many ferries cross the Pas de Calais daily.
During World War II, the Allies feigned an invasion across the Pas de Calais.
The Pas de Calais is an important shipping route.
Many ships travel daily through the Pas de Calais due to its strategic location.
The Pas de Calais is known for being the narrowest part of the English Channel.
Many ferries cross the Pas de Calais daily.

Synonyms

Strait of Calais

vsPas de Calais

4.5

A narrow stretch of sea between England and France at their closest point

is the same channel but expressed with a different name form

Strait of Dover

vsPas de Calais

3.9

A narrow sea passage between southeast England and northern France that connects the English Channel with the North Sea

focuses on the channel as the shortest crossing between England and the continent

Surface Forms

Pas de Calais main

Morphology

Pas + de + Calais

This is a French place-name: 'de' clearly marks possession ('of') and 'Calais' is a known port town, so a learner who knows the constituents can infer it refers to something associated with Calais (i.e., a geographic feature). However, the specific sense 'the strait between the English Channel and the North Sea' depends on knowing the toponymic use of French 'Pas' (≈ 'pass/strait') and some background geographic knowledge, so the exact meaning is not fully predictable from the parts.

Etymology

Pas de Calais literally means the 'passage of Calais': pas means 'passage' and Calais is the town on the French coast. Because it is the narrow sea route between France and England, the name now refers to the short crossing between the two countries.