windmolengevecht

Dutch

Etymology

Apparently coined by Menno ter Braak in 1931. Compound of windmolen (“windmill”) +‎ gevecht (“fight”). An allusion to Don Quixote.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈʋɪnt.moː.lə(n).ɣəˌvɛxt/
  • Hyphenation: wind‧mo‧len‧ge‧vecht

Noun

windmolengevecht n (plural windmolengevechten, diminutive windmolengevechtje n)

  1. (chiefly figurative) pointless fight (useless resistance)
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