Debcle

/deɪˈbɑːkəl/ noun

Definition

A variant or alternate spelling of 'debacle,' meaning a sudden failure, collapse, or humiliating defeat.

Etymology

This appears to be a non-standard spelling of debacle, which comes from French débâcle (from débâcler, meaning to unbar or break up). The French root relates to bâcle (bar), originally referring to the breaking apart of ice in rivers.

Kelly Says

The spelling variation 'debcle' is rare and likely represents either a typo or an extremely archaic variant—it's a great reminder that before dictionaries standardized spelling, English was a wild frontier where the same word could look completely different!

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