English Explanatory Dictionary

dunk

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To submerge briefly in a liquid.
  2. To set down carelessly.
  3. To put the ball directly downward through the hoop while grabbing onto the rim with power.
  4. To put down on social media [with on].
noun
  1. The act or instance of dunking, particularly in basketball.
name
  1. A surname.
  2. A locality in Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia, which includes the Family Islands; one is Dunk Island, named after George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax.

Pronunciation

/dʌŋk/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-dunk.wav

Word forms

dunk dunks dunking dunked

Etymology

From Pennsylvania German dunke, from Middle High German dunken, from Old High German dunkōn (“to dip, submerge, dunk”), from Proto-West Germanic *þunkōn (“to make wet”), possibly from Proto-Germanic *þunkōną, from Proto-Indo-European *teng- (“to moisten, wet”). Cognate with German tunken (“to dunk”), Latin tingō (“to wet, moisten”), Ancient Greek τέγγω (téngō, “to wet, moisten”). Related to taint, tincture, tint.

Related words

alley oop jam slam

Derived words

dunkable dunker dunk on dunk out dunkfest dunk shot dunk tank mosquito dunk reverse dunk slam dunk thunderdunk
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