dunk

Dunk is a term used as both a verb and a noun. In general, to dunk means to submerge a solid object into a liquid, typically with a quick, deliberate motion. In food contexts, dunking refers to dipping items such as cookies, biscotti, or pastries into beverages like coffee, tea, or milk. The word is also used in sports to describe certain plays.

In basketball, a dunk is a shot in which a player jumps and pushes the ball downward through the rim with one or both hands, scoring by forcing the ball through the hoop. Dunks are valued for their power and visual impact and can be performed off the dribble, after a pass, or on a fast break. Common variants include the one-handed dunk, two-handed dunk, and reverse or alley-oop dunks. Some stylized dunks, such as windmill, tomahawk, or 360-degree dunks, are named for the motion of the arms or rotation. The slam dunk became a prominent feature of professional basketball in the late 20th century and a centerpiece of the NBA All-Star Dunk Contest, which began in the 1980s.

History: Dunking's acceptance has varied; in collegiate play, there was a period in the late 1960s when dunking was restricted or banned, a policy later lifted, after which the move became widely adopted in both men's and women's basketball.

Other uses: The verb dunk also applies to submerging other objects in liquids, and the noun form refers to either the act or the item involved, such as a chocolate dunk or a cookie dunk.