n.
Pronunciation: d ē - ' bä-k ə l, di-, - ' ba-; ÷ ' de-b ə -k ə l
Variant: also dé · bâ · cle \ also d ā - ' bäk(l ə ) \
Function: noun
Etymology: French débâcle, from débâcler to clear, from Middle French desbacler, from des- de- + bacler to block, perhaps from Vulgar Latin *bacculare, from Latin baculum staff
Date: 1802
1 : a tumultuous breakup of ice in a river
2 : a violent disruption (as of an army) : ROUT
3 a : a great disaster b : a complete failure : FIASCO