calque

noun

Examples of calque in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Those phrases, translated from Spanish, are known as calques. Patricia Mazzei, New York Times, 26 July 2023 Merii to document Spanish-origin calques in the English spoken in South Florida. Phillip M. Carter, Fortune Well, 12 June 2023 But in both French and English, the descriptor is a calque from the German, whose speakers seem not only to find all the rat kings, but also to be the ones talking nonstop about them. Adrian Daub, Longreads, 13 Dec. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'calque.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, copy, from calquer to trace, from Italian calcare to trample, trace, from Latin, to trample — more at caulk

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of calque was in 1926

Dictionary Entries Near calque

Cite this Entry

“Calque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calque. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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