watergate
noun · verb
Simple meaning
An American political scandal that eventually led to the resignation of US President Richard Nixon.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
wawtergaytSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈwɔtɚɡeɪt
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
An American political scandal (beginning with a burglary in the Watergate Hotel in Washington, DC, in 1972) that eventually led to the resignation of US President Richard Nixon.
A gate opening onto water, or only or mainly accessible by water.
A gate, or valve, by which a flow of water is permitted, prevented, or regulated.
verb
transitive
To treat in a manner reminiscent of the Watergate scandal.
Word at a Glance
- Frequency
- Uncommon
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Common Patterns and Combinations
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Word Family
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Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A political scandal involving abuse of power and bribery and obstruction of justice.
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