dunk

Meanings

Verb

• To submerge briefly in a liquid.
• To set down carelessly.
• To put the ball directly downward through the hoop while grabbing onto the rim with power.
• To put down on social media .

Noun

• The act of dunking, particularly in basketball.

Origin

• From Pennsylvania German dunke, from Middle High German dunken, from Old High German dunkōn ("to dip, submerge, dunk"), from Proto-West Germanic *þunkōn ("to make wet"), possibly from Proto-Germanic *þunkōną, from Proto-Indo-European *teng- ("to moisten, wet").
• Cognate with German tunken ("to dunk"), Latin tingō ("to wet, moisten"), Ancient Greek τέγγω ("to wet, moisten"). Related to taint, tincture, tint.