cauldron battle

English

Etymology

Calque of German Kesselschlacht. Compare kettle (“to contain demonstrators in a confined area; group of protesters or rioters confined in a limited area”).

Noun

cauldron battle (plural cauldron battles)

1. (historical, uncommon, see usage note) battle of encirclement

Usage notes

• Mainly used in historical military jargon in reference to battles fought by the Wehrmacht and the Red Army, and more broadly for other battles involving German-speaking militaries. It sees little use outside these contexts.

References

• Pocket (military) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia