cul-de-sac English · revision 1911

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈkʌldəsak/ ''(UK)''; /ˈkʌldəsæk/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|cul-de-sac|t=bottom of the sack]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from ''cul'' “bottom”, [[der|la|culus|t=backside]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) ''de'' “of”^(AHD) and ''sac'' “sack”, [[der|la|saccus]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In anatomy, a vessel, tube or sac open only at one end (1738).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By 1800 the word meant a street, lane or passage closed at one end, a blind alley,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995) and it was soon used figuratively of a situation with no way forward.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)^(RHWU) Etymonline dates the street sense to 1819.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1738 – an anatomical pouch open at one end.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1800 – a blind alley; also figurative.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1819 – Etymonline's date for the street sense.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A street closed at one end; a [[dead end]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A situation in which no further progress is possible; an [[impasse]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(anatomy)'' A sac-like cavity or tube open at one end only.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sack]]

+ * [[blind alley]]

+ * [[impasse]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}