Waterloos

Waterloos refers generally to multiple places named Waterloo and, in some uses, to the sense of a decisive defeat associated with the 1815 Battle of Waterloo. The name Waterloo comes from Dutch: water + loo, with loo meaning a clearing in a forest or meadow, often by a body of water. When used as a place name, Waterloo typically denotes a settlement near water or a cleared area within a wooded landscape; it spread through Dutch and Flemish influences and later through British colonial and global settlement patterns.

Notable examples include Waterloo, Belgium, the site of the famous 1815 battle; Waterloo, Ontario, Canada; and Waterloo, Iowa, United States. There are additional Waterloos in other countries in Europe, Africa, and the Americas, reflecting the widespread adoption of the name in former Dutch or British empire contexts.

Beyond geography, waterloo in English has become a metaphor for a decisive defeat or turning point in competition, politics, or other endeavors, though this usage is typically capitalized when referring to the battle.