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Persian Gulf War

Persian Gulf War

22 3.4
A 1990–1991 war when Iraq invaded Kuwait and a US-led group fought to push out Iraqi troops
  • noun
  • /ˈpɜrʒən ɡʌlf wɔr/
translation icon : Guerra del Golfo Pérsico
  • The Persian Gulf War marked a significant military conflict that showcased new technology in warfare.
  • Persian Gulf War of 1991
  • Iraq in the Persian Gulf War
  • Persian Gulf War of 1990

Examples

  • At the conclusion of the Persian Gulf War, very few Americans had any knowledge of the existence of the Kurds.

    Academic text (1992)
  • As evidenced in the recent Persian Gulf War, rapid deployment forces can respond effectively to such a requirement.

    Academic text (1993)
  • At least one small American town celebrated victory in the Persian Gulf War with what it called a "Freedom Festival."

    Academic text (1992)
  • The triumphs of the Cold War and the Persian Gulf War will be long remembered.

    Academic text (2000)
  • Ultimately, Congress did authorize military force, and the Persian Gulf War ensued.

    Academic text (1998)
  • In the present study, I examined how American minority and nonminority groups responded to the Persian Gulf War.

    Academic text (1993)
  • The difficult-to-diagnose symptomatic illness that persists among veterans of the brief 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War has long posed a complex scientific challenge.

    Academic text (2012)
  • In 1991, a coalition of countries intervened in the Persian Gulf War to liberate Kuwait from Iraqi occupation.

  • During the Persian Gulf War, thousands of troops were deployed to the region to counter Iraq's aggression.

Synonyms

Gulf War
vsPersian Gulf War
462 3.2

A war in 1990–1991 when many countries led by the United States forced Iraq out of Kuwait

is the same conflict often called by a more formal or full name
Operation Desert Storm
vsPersian Gulf War
3 4.1

A US-led military attack in 1991 that quickly forced Iraq's army out of Kuwait

covers the whole war rather than only a single campaign

Surface Forms

Morphology

Persian + gulf + war

The meaning is compositionally derivable: a B1 learner who knows 'Persian' (relating to Iran), 'gulf' (a stretch of sea), and 'war' will readily infer this refers to a war in the Persian Gulf region. They might not know the exact 1990–1991 historical details or participants without prior exposure, but the core referent (a region-specific war) is transparently built from the constituents.

Etymology

Persian Gulf War gets its name from the Persian Gulf, the sea near Iraq and Kuwait where most of the fighting took place. So the phrase refers to the 1990 to 1991 war 'to push Iraqi forces out of Kuwait'.