cul-de-sac

[ kuhl-duh-sak, -sak, kool-; French kyduh-sak ]

/ ˈkʌl dəˈsæk, -ˌsæk, ˈkʊl-; French küdəˈsak /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for cul-de-sac on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural culs-de-sac

[kuhlz-duh-sak, -sak, koolz-; French kyduh-sak]. /ˈkʌlz dəˈsæk, -ˌsæk, ˈkʊlz-; French küdəˈsak/.

a street, lane, etc., closed at one end; blind alley; dead-end street.

any situation in which further progress is impossible.

the hemming in of a military force on all sides except behind.

Anatomy. a saclike cavity, tube, or the like, open only at one end, as the cecum.

QUIZ

TAKE JOY IN ACING THIS QUIZ ON “PRIDE” SYNONYMS

Hold your head up high as you embark on this quiz that explores some of the synonyms and meanings of “pride.”

Question 1 of 7

What does "dignity" mean?

showing self-respect

treating others with kindness

acting selfishly

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of cul-de-sac

1730–40; <French: literally, bottom of the sack

Words nearby cul-de-sac

Cukor, CUL8R, Culbertson, culch, culchie, cul-de-sac, culdocentesis, culdoplasty, culdoscope, culdoscopy, -cule

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use cul-de-sac in a sentence

In the last year, her fusion exercise class has attracted a cult following and become de rigueur among the celebrity set.
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze|Lizzie Crocker|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
They tried to continue their getaway but had to quickly abandon their vehicle on the Rue de Meaux in the 19th.
Police Hunt for Paris Massacre Suspects|Tracy McNicoll, Christopher Dickey|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Humans spent a long time domesticating cattle, and what they were trying to do, in essence, was de-domesticate them.
‘Nazi Cows’ Tried to Kill British Farmer|Tom Sykes|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The band was still on its way back as De Blasio and his wife departed.
Funeral Protest Is Too Much for NYPD Union Boss|Michael Daly|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Yet even after the funeral protest, de Blasio was booed and heckled while addressing a new class of recruits as well.
We Need Our Police to Be Better Than This|Nick Gillespie|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Madame de Condillac stood watching him, her face composed, her glance cold.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
Then the door opened, the portiere was swept aside, and Anselme announced "Monsieur de Garnache."
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
San Antonio de Bexar lies in a fertile and well-irrigated valley, stretching westward from the river Salado.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
One evening, while he was thus engaged, he observed de Patinos and Duke Wharton enter together.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
Without any known cause of offence, a tacit acknowledgement of mutual dislike was shewn by Louis and de Patinos.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter

British Dictionary definitions for cul-de-sac

cul-de-sac

/ (ˈkʌldəˌsæk, ˈkʊl-) /

noun plural culs-de-sac or cul-de-sacs

a road with one end blocked off; dead end

an inescapable position

any tube-shaped bodily cavity or pouch closed at one end, such as the caecum

Word Origin for cul-de-sac

C18: from French, literally: bottom of the bag

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

Medical definitions for cul-de-sac

cul-de-sac

[ kŭl′dĭ-săk′, kul′- ]

n. pl. culs-de-sac (kŭlz′-, kulz′-)

A saclike cavity or tube open only at one end.

cul-de-sac

Origin of cul-de-sac

Words nearby cul-de-sac

Words related to cul-de-sac

How to use cul-de-sac in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cul-de-sac

Word Origin for cul-de-sac

Medical definitions for cul-de-sac