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Glite Dictionary
🚤 WWII rescue ⚓ French seaport
Dunkerque

Dunkerque

8.6
An evacuation in 1940 that rescues Allied soldiers from French beaches during World War II
  • noun
  • /ˈdʌŋkɜrk/
translation icon : Dunkerque
  • Many soldiers were saved during the Dunkerque evacuation.

Examples

  • The evacuation at Dunkerque was a turning point in World War II.

  • The evacuation at Dunkerque was a pivotal moment in World War II.

  • Many soldiers owe their lives to the successful retreat from Dunkerque.

  • The events at Dunkerque continue to inspire stories of courage and resilience.

  • The evacuation at Dunkerque allowed the safe return of hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers.

  • In 1940, Dunkerque became a symbol of hope as troops evacuated under enemy fire.

  • The successful operation at Dunkerque marked a crucial moment in the history of World War II.

Synonyms

Dunkirk
vsDunkerque
2 7.1

The 1940 evacuation of Allied soldiers from beaches near Dunkirk under enemy attack

states the exact number of troops rescued rather than omitting it
Dunkirk evacuation
vsDunkerque
7.0

A rescue of many Allied soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940 during World War II

gives an exact troop number rather than a rounded estimate

Surface Forms

Dunkerque singular
Dunkerques plural

Etymology

Dunkerque (the name used for the 1940 evacuation) comes from old Dutch words duin 'dune' and kerk 'church'. So it originally meant 'church in the dunes', and the evacuation is named after that coastal town and its beaches.