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Battle of Little Bighorn

Battle of Little Bighorn

1 6.9
A 1876 battle in Montana where United States soldiers led by Custer lose to Sioux and Cheyenne warriors
  • noun
  • /ˈbætəl əv ˈlɪtəl ˈbɪɡhɔrn/
translation icon : Batalla de Little Bighorn
  • You could perform complete historical reenactments, such as the American Civil War, D-Day, the Battle of Little Bighorn, and the Charge of the Light Brigade.
  • the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876

Examples

  • He and his subordinates were all killed during the Battle of Little Bighorn.

    Academic text (2014)
  • The famous battle of Little Bighorn took place during the summer of 1876.

  • You think the Battle of Little Bighorn was an adventure?

  • My name is Jack Crabb, and I am the sole white survivor of the Battle of Little Bighorn, popularly known as Custer's Last Stand.

  • After the Battle of Little Bighorn, Sitting Bull leads his people to Canada for protection from the white men.

  • This was the Battle of Little Bighorn, in which Custer and his men were killed.

Synonyms

Custer's Last Stand
vsBattle of Little Bighorn
1 8.2

An 1876 battle at Little Bighorn where Sioux and Cheyenne killed General Custer and his soldiers

describes the same battle neutrally as a military engagement
Little Bighorn
vsBattle of Little Bighorn
1 8.3

A famous 1876 battle in Montana where Custer and his troops were defeated by Native American tribes

refers to it by the formal historical title instead of the place name
Battle of the Little Bighorn
vsBattle of Little Bighorn
8.1

An 1876 battle in Montana where General Custer's soldiers were defeated by Sioux and Cheyenne

is the more general descriptive name used in ordinary references

Surface Forms

Morphology

battle + of + Little + Bighorn

The meaning is compositionally transparent: 'battle of X' straightforwardly denotes a battle that occurred at or about the place named 'Little Bighorn', so a learner who knows the constituent words can infer it refers to a specific battle at that location. While the exact historical details (date, belligerents, outcome) cannot be derived from the phrase, the basic referential meaning as a named battle is clear.

Etymology

Battle of Little Bighorn is named after the small Little Bighorn River in Montana where, in 1876, General Custer attacked a large group of Sioux and Cheyenne and was defeated. That's why the name reminds people of a dramatic 'last stand' and a major 'defeat' in U.S. history.