A historical region and former province of northwest France on the English Channel. Part of ancient Gaul, the region was successively conquered by the Romans, Franks, and Norse; passed to England after the Norman Conquest (1066) and during the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453); and was restored to France in 1450. Its beaches were the focal point of Allied landings on D-day (June 6, 1944) in World War II.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
