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.

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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

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adjective

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

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

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Etymology

Origin of Basque¹

C19: from French, from Latin Vascō a Basque

Origin of basque²

C19: perhaps from _Basque

Example Sentences

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

Winning the Basque derby would keep the team's momentum and confidence high, with Matarazzo keen to highlight his team's spirit after last Sunday's win over Celta despite playing with 10 men for half the match.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 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 path of totality of the Aug. 12 solar eclipse will sweep across much of Spain, but Basque Country, in the north, is our pick for sparser crowds and plenty to do.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 20, 2025

By contrast, all of Europe has just 4 language families—Indo-European, Finno-Ugric, Basque, and Turkic—with the great majority of Europeans speaking an Indo-European tongue.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann