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

: a fruitless or mistaken course or direction

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 house at 46 Henderson Drive in Avon is at the end of a double cul-de-sac on the Avon and West Hartford line. —Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 31 Jan. 2026

Crews start with primary streets, which are exterior major roads and main drives in subdivisions, then move to secondary streets, which are smaller streets in subdivisions and lastly alternative roadways, such as cul-de-sacs, are cleared. —Jake Allen, IndyStar, 26 Jan. 2026

Avoid parking on streets, especially cul-de-sacs. —Cheryl Vari, Cincinnati Enquirer, 26 Jan. 2026

This three-bedroom, two-bath, 1,322-square-foot house from 1987 stood at the end of a cul-de-sac in Upland, about a 10-minute drive from Claremont. —Michele Lerner, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2026

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