cul-de-sac

noun

ˈkəl-di-ˌsak 

ˈku̇l-;

ˌkəl-di-ˈsak,

ˌku̇l-

plural cul-de-sacs ˈkəl-di-ˌsaks 

ˈku̇l-;

ˌkəl-di-ˈsaks,

ˌku̇l-

also culs-de-sac ˈkəl(z)-di-ˌsak 

ˈku̇l(z)-;

ˌkəl(z)-di-ˈsak,

ˌku̇l(z)-

1

: a blind diverticulum or pouch

2

: a street or passage closed at one end

Our house is located on a quiet cul-de-sac.

3

: blind alley

If your job is a cul-de-sac, you have to quit or accept the fact that your career is over.

—Seth Godin

Examples of cul-de-sac in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The following season marked the debut of Knots Landing, which initially featured four families in the fictional Seaview Circle cul-de-sac, including the Wards - Houghton’s Kenny and Kim Lankford as his wife Ginger. —Marc Berman, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025

The young Wards were one of the original four couples who lived on the show’s iconic cul-de-sac. —Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2025

Officers with the California Highway Patrol shot and killed a driver Wednesday morning after a pursuit ended in a Winnetka cul-de-sac. —Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2025

The night of March 27, 2022, there was a small party at the house the group was living in on a suburban cul-de-sac in Dekalb County. —David Peisner, Rolling Stone, 23 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, bottom of the bag

First Known Use

1738, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cul-de-sac

• almanac
• camelback
• cardiac
• carryback
• cluniac
• diamondback
• lumberjack
• maniac
• paperback
• piggyback
• quarterback
• saddleback

Kids Definition

cul-de-sac

noun

ˈkəl-di-ˌsak,

ˈku̇l-

plural cul-de-sacs

ˈkəl-di-ˌsaks,

ˈku̇l-

also culs-de-sac

ˈkəl(z)-di-ˌsak,

ˈku̇l(z)-

: a street or passage closed at one end

Medical Definition

cul-de-sac

noun

ˈkəl-di-ˌsak, ˈku̇l-; ˌkəl-di-ˈ, ˌku̇l- 

plural culs-de-sac ˈkəl(z)-, ˈku̇l(z)-, ˌkəl(z)-, ˌku̇l(z)-  also cul-de-sacs -ˌsaks, -ˈsaks 

1

: a blind diverticulum or pouch

also : the closed end of such a pouch

2

: pouch of douglas