nakba
/ˈnɑkbə/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.07 in modern English
11
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
In Arab contexts: a catastrophe; a grave setback.
name
Alternative letter-case form of Nakba.
name
The dispossession of land and other property, destruction of society, and suppression of culture and political rights experienced by Palestinian Arabs occuring since the 1948 Palestine war and establishment of the State of Israel.
Example Sentences
- "Our President is admitting that the war has been a nakba, a setback. 'I take full personal responsibility.' 'But not for long,' murmurs Mahmoud, in whose company I am watching this ultra-dramatic moment."
- "A second nakba happened after the 1967 Six Day War, when Israel captured Arab land that belonged to Jordan and Egypt; another 325,000 Palestinians left their homes."
- "But for now, there is no prophet amongst the politicians, and the only prophecies to be heard are of nakbas and holocausts."
- "That al-Husayni [Amin al-Husseini]'s political career has not received balanced and impartial treatment is, of course, not remarkable in view of the passion his name has always inspired. Some Arab biographers have lauded him and his cause, seeking to absolve him of any responsibility for the 1948 nakba, while Jewish nationalists vilify him and discredit his movement."
- "Indeed, violence broke out in the occupied territories in mid-May 2000 as Palestinians observed the anniversary of the 1948 nakba—these disturbances paled in comparison to the second intifada, which erupted in the autumn."
- "Ever since the 1948 nakba, Arab thinkers and intellectuals have been studying the causes of their condition and recommending ways for changing or improving it."
Etymology
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: ن ك ب, نَكْبَة
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈnɑkbə/
- British English: /ˈnɑːkbə/
Inflected Forms
nakbas (plural)
the Nakba (canonical)
Nacba (alternative)
Naqba (alternative)
Al-Nakba (alternative)
Al-Naqba (alternative)