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Basque

American  
[bask] / bæsk /

noun

  1. one of a people of unknown origin inhabiting the western Pyrenees regions in France and Spain.

  2. their language, not known to be related to any other language.

  3. (lowercase) a close-fitting bodice, sometimes having an extension that covers the hips.

  4. (lowercase) the extension of this bodice or of a doublet.

adjective

  1. of or relating to the Basques or their language.

Basque 1 British  
/ bæsk, bɑːsk /

noun

  1. a member of a people of unknown origin living around the W Pyrenees in France and Spain

  2. the language of this people, of no known relationship with any other language

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. relating to, denoting, or characteristic of this people or their language

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
basque 2 British  
/ bɑːsk, bæsk /

noun

  1. a short extension below the waist to the bodice of a woman's jacket, etc

  2. a tight-fitting bodice for women

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Basque1

C19: from French, from Latin Vascō a Basque

Origin of basque2

C19: perhaps from Basque

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

They crept across the border and Spain met them as berlinas by the mid-20th century, mostly in quiet corners of Catalonia and the Basque country.

From Salon • Feb. 5, 2026

The Basque manager rotated his pack heavily, to the chagrin of players like Vinicius Junior, who was benched on several occasions and hauled off early on others.

From Barron's • Jan. 12, 2026

Listen to Blade Bird: The album's swooning climax, based on a Basque poem about the tension between love and possession.

From BBC • Dec. 20, 2025

The rollout will be in addition to existing networks already set up by regional governments including in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Murcia.

From BBC • Dec. 17, 2025

The Euskadis were well-to-do, handsome people of Basque extraction.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.