dunk

Where does the word "dunk" come from? It comes from German tunken, passing through Pennsylvania German before entering English (1910s).

Dunk’s story begins in German: tunken meant “to dip.” To dip. By 1700s, the word had taken hold in Pennsylvania German as dunke. The dialect of German settlers in Pennsylvania; the 'Dunkers' were a sect who baptized by full immersion. It reached English by 1910s as dunk. First of dipping doughnuts in coffee; the basketball 'dunk shot' dates from the 1930s. Today, dunk means to dip food into a drink; to push a basketball down through the hoop.

1. Stage 1 · German · medieval tunken "to dip", to dip.
2. Stage 2 · Pennsylvania German · 1700s dunke "to dip", the dialect of German settlers in Pennsylvania; the 'Dunkers' were a sect who baptized by full immersion.
3. Stage 3 · American English · 1910s dunk "to dip", first of dipping doughnuts in coffee; the basketball 'dunk shot' dates from the 1930s.