ambuscade

noun

am·bus·cade | \ ˈam-bə-ˌskād

How to pronounce ambuscade (audio)

, ˌam-bə-ˈ\

Definition of ambuscade

: ambush

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Did You Know?

Ambuscade derives from Middle French embuscade, a modification of an Old Italian word formed by combining the prefix in- and the Latin noun bosco, meaning "forest." This is appropriate, since many such surprise attacks have involved the attacking force hiding out in and emerging from a wooded area. "Ambuscade" has not changed in meaning since General Washington’s day, though nowadays we are more likely to use its synonym "ambush." That word actually took a slightly different path to English - via Middle English "embushen," from Anglo-French en- ("in-") and "busche" ("log" or "firewood") - though the two words ultimately share a relationship.

Examples of ambuscade in a Sentence

warned by one of their scouts of an Apache ambuscade, the Comanches took a different path through the mountains

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Time Traveler for ambuscade

The first known use of ambuscade was circa 1588

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