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Glite Dictionary
Argonne Forest

Argonne Forest

8.2
A forest in France where American and German soldiers fought in a large 1918 World War I battle
  • proper noun
  • /ɑrˈɡɒn fɔrɛst/
translation icon : Bosque de Argonne
  • The Argonne Forest was the site of fierce battles during World War I.

Examples

  • Many soldiers lost their lives in the brutal fighting in the Argonne Forest in 1918.

  • Historians often cite the Argonne Forest offensive as a turning point in the war.

  • The Battle of Argonne Forest was one of the largest operations for American troops during World War I.

  • Did American troops fight in the Argonne Forest?

  • During World War I, American forces launched a significant offensive in the Argonne Forest against German troops.

  • The Argonne Forest became a historic battleground where American soldiers displayed remarkable courage in 1918.

  • In the heart of the Argonne Forest, fierce battles took place, marking a pivotal moment in the First World War.

Synonyms

Argonne
vsArgonne Forest
3 8.6

A wooded region in northeastern France known for heavy fighting in World War I

is the specific 1918 battle site where American troops fought German forces

Surface Forms

Argonne Forest main

Morphology

Argonne + forest

This is partly compositional: 'Argonne Forest' is transparently a forest named for the Argonne region, so a learner who knows the proper noun and 'forest' can infer it is a place. However, the specific historical meaning (site of a major 1918 WWI offensive) is world-knowledge that cannot be derived from the constituents alone, making the expression only partially predictable.

Etymology

Argonne Forest is the name of a real forest in France where American soldiers fought a major attack in 1918 against German troops. Because the fighting in the thick trees and mud was so fierce, the name now means that large World War I 'battle'.