dunk
dunk Lexical Profile
dunk Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A basketball shot in which a player jumps high into the air and forces the ball directly downward through the hoop with one or both hands.
"The crowd erupted in cheers after the rookie's powerful two-handed dunk."
An act of dipping, plunging, or briefly immersing something into a liquid.
"A quick dunk in the cold ocean helped everyone cool off on the hot afternoon."
• verb
To dip a piece of food, such as bread, a cookie, or a doughnut, into a beverage or sauce before eating it.
"She likes to dunk her biscotti into a warm cup of coffee every morning."
To score a basket in basketball by leaping into the air and driving the ball directly downward through the hoop from above the rim.
"The center easily jumped over the defender to dunk the ball."
To plunge or submerge someone or something briefly under water or another liquid.
"Be sure to dunk the dyed fabric in cold water to set the color."
• Rhymes for dunk
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 20th century from Pennsylvania German dunken ('to dip'), which descends from Middle High German tunken ('to dip or immerse').