Iron Curtain

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• Received-Pronunciation: /ˌaɪən ˈkɜː.tən/
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• General-American: /ˌaɪ(ə)ɹn ˈkɜɹ.tən/
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• Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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• rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)tən
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• Received-Pronunciation: /ˌaɪən ˈkɜːtn̩/
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• General-American: /ˌaɪ(ə)ɹn ˈkɜɹt(ə)n/
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• Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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A specialized use of iron curtain (“(figurative) impenetrable barrier”), probably partly a calque of German eiserner Vorhang which was used in speeches in the 1940s that were translated into English. The English term appeared in telegrams from the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (1874–1965) to the United States President Harry S. Truman (1884–1972) in 1945, before being popularized in a speech given by Churchill at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, on March 5, 1946.

From iron + curtain.

152 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Afrikaans: Ystergordyn — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Arabic: سِتَار حَدِيدِيّ (sitār ḥadīdiyy) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Arabic: السِتَار الحَدِيدِي (as-sitār al-ḥadīdī) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Armenian: երկաթե վարագույր (erkatʻe varaguyr) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Asturian: cortina de fierro — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Azerbaijani: dəmir pərdə — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Basque: Altzairuzko oihala — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Belarusian: жале́зная засло́на (žaljéznaja zaslóna) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Breton: rideoz houarn — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Bulgarian: желя́зна заве́са (željázna zavésa) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Catalan: Teló d'Acer — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Chinese Mandarin: 鐵幕 /铁幕 (tiěmù) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Czech: železná opona — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Danish: jerntæppe — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Dutch: ijzeren gordijn — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Dutch: IJzeren Gordijn — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Esperanto: fera kurteno — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Estonian: raudne eesriie — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Finnish: rautaesirippu — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• French: rideau de fer — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• West-Frisian: Izeren Gerdyn — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Galician: pano de aceiro — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Georgian: რკინის ფარდა (rḳinis parda) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• German: Eiserner Vorhang — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• German: eiserner Vorhang — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Bavarian German: Eiserner Vorhang — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Greek: σιδηρούν παραπέτασμα (sidiroún parapétasma) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Haitian Creole: rido fè — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Hebrew: מָסַךְ הַבַּרְזֶל — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Hindi: लौह पर्दा (lauh pardā) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Hungarian: vasfüggöny — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Icelandic: járntjald — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Ido: fera kurteno — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Indonesian: Tirai Besi — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Interlingua: cortina de ferro — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Italian: cortina di ferro — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Japanese: 鉄のカーテン (tetsu no kāten) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Kazakh: темір перде (temır perde) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Khmer: វាំងននដែក (vĕəng nɔɔn daek) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Korean: 철의 장막 (cheor-ui jangmak) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Kyrgyz: темир көшөгө (temir köşögö) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Latvian: dzelzs priekškars — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Lithuanian: geležinė uždanga — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Luxembourgish: Eisene Rideau — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Macedonian: железна завеса (železna zavesa) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Malay: Tirai Besi — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Malayalam: അയൺ കർട്ടൻ (ayaṇ kaṟṭṭaṉ) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Maltese: Purtiera tal-Ħadid — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Mongolian: төмөр хөшиг (tömör xöšig) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Norwegian Bokmål: jernteppe — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Norwegian Bokmål: jernteppet — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Norwegian Nynorsk: jarnteppet — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Norwegian Nynorsk: jernteppet — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Occitan: ridèl de fèrre — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Persian: پردهٔ آهنین (parde-ye âhanin) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Polish: żelazna kurtyna — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Portuguese: Cortina de Ferro — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Punjabi: آہنی پردہ (āhnī prdh) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Romanian: cortină de fier — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Russian: желе́зный за́навес (želéznyj zánaves) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Scottish Gaelic: Cùirtear Iarainn — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Serbo-Croatian: гвоздена завеса — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Serbo-Croatian: железна завеса — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Serbo-Croatian: жељезна завјеса — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Serbo-Croatian: gvozdena zavesa — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Serbo-Croatian: železna zavesa — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Serbo-Croatian: željezna zavjesa — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Slovak: železná opona — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Slovene: železna zavesa — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Spanish: Cortina de Hierro — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Spanish: Telón de Acero — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Swedish: järnridå — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Tagalog: Kortinang Bakal — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Tagalog: Kurtinang Bakal — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Tajik: пардаи оҳанин (parda-yi ohanin) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Tamil: இரும்புத் திரை (irumput tirai) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Thai: ม่านเหล็ก (mâan-lèk) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Turkish: demir perde — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Turkmen: demir perde — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Ukrainian: залі́зна заві́са (zalízna zavísa) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Urdu: آہنی پردہ — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Uyghur: تۆمۈر پەردە (tömür perde) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Uzbek: temir parda — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Vietnamese: bức màn sắt — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Waray-Waray: Puthaw nga Kurtina — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Welsh: Llen Haearn — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Yiddish: אײַזערנער פֿירהאַנג (ayzerner firhang) — dividing line between Western Europe and the Soviet-controlled regions, especially during the Cold War
• Hungarian: vasfüggöny — barrier made of iron in a theatre
• Icelandic: járntjald — barrier made of iron in a theatre
• Polish: żelazna kurtyna — barrier made of iron in a theatre
• Portuguese: cortina de ferro — barrier made of iron in a theatre
• Scottish Gaelic: cùirtear iarainn — barrier made of iron in a theatre
• Tagalog: kurtinang pangyero — barrier made of iron in a theatre
• Arabic: السِتَار الحَدِيدِي (as-sitār al-ḥadīdī) — impenetrable barrier
• Arabic: سِتَار حَدِيدِيّ (sitār ḥadīdiyy) — impenetrable barrier
• Armenian: երկաթե վարագույր (erkatʻe varaguyr) — impenetrable barrier
• Azerbaijani: dəmir pərdə — impenetrable barrier
• Belarusian: жале́зная засло́на (žaljéznaja zaslóna) — impenetrable barrier
• Bulgarian: желя́зна заве́са (željázna zavésa) — impenetrable barrier
• Catalan: teló d'acer — impenetrable barrier
• Catalan: teló de ferro — impenetrable barrier
• Chinese Mandarin: 鐵幕 /铁幕 (tiěmù) — impenetrable barrier
• Czech: železná opona — impenetrable barrier
• Danish: jerntæppe — impenetrable barrier
• Dutch: ijzeren gordijn — impenetrable barrier
• Estonian: raudne eesriie — impenetrable barrier
• Finnish: rautaesirippu — impenetrable barrier
• French: rideau de fer — impenetrable barrier
• Georgian: რკინის ფარდა (rḳinis parda) — impenetrable barrier
• German: eiserner Vorhang — impenetrable barrier
• Greek: σιδηρούν παραπέτασμα (sidiroún parapétasma) — impenetrable barrier
• Hebrew: מָסַךְ הַבַּרְזֶל — impenetrable barrier
• Hindi: लौह पर्दा (lauh pardā) — impenetrable barrier
• Hungarian: vasfüggöny — impenetrable barrier
• Icelandic: járntjald — impenetrable barrier
• Italian: cortina di ferro — impenetrable barrier
• Japanese: 鉄のカーテン (tetsu no kāten) — impenetrable barrier
• Kazakh: темір перде (temır perde) — impenetrable barrier
• Khmer: វាំងននដែក (vĕəng nɔɔn daek) — impenetrable barrier
• Korean: 철의 장막 (cheorui jangmak) — impenetrable barrier
• Korean: 장벽 (jangbyeok) — impenetrable barrier
• Kyrgyz: темир көшөгө (temir köşögö) — impenetrable barrier
• Latvian: dzelzs priekškars — impenetrable barrier
• Lithuanian: geležinė uždanga — impenetrable barrier
• Macedonian: железна завеса (železna zavesa) — impenetrable barrier
• Mongolian: төмөр хөшиг (tömör xöšig) — impenetrable barrier
• Norwegian Bokmål: jernteppe — impenetrable barrier
• Persian: پردهٔ آهنین (parde-ye âhanin) — impenetrable barrier
• Polish: żelazna kurtyna — impenetrable barrier
• Portuguese: cortina de ferro — impenetrable barrier
• Romanian: cortină de fier — impenetrable barrier
• Russian: желе́зный за́навес (želéznyj zánaves) — impenetrable barrier
• Scottish Gaelic: cùirtear iarainn — impenetrable barrier
• Serbo-Croatian: гвоздена завеса — impenetrable barrier
• Serbo-Croatian: железна завеса — impenetrable barrier
• Serbo-Croatian: жељезна завјеса — impenetrable barrier
• Serbo-Croatian: gvozdena zavesa — impenetrable barrier
• Serbo-Croatian: železna zavesa — impenetrable barrier
• Serbo-Croatian: željezna zavjesa — impenetrable barrier
• Slovak: železná opona — impenetrable barrier
• Slovene: železna zavesa — impenetrable barrier
• Spanish: telón de acero — impenetrable barrier
• Spanish: cortina de hierro — impenetrable barrier
• Swedish: järnridå — impenetrable barrier
• Tajik: пардаи оҳанин (parda-yi ohanin) — impenetrable barrier
• Thai: ม่านเหล็ก (mâan-lèk) — impenetrable barrier
• Turkish: demir perde — impenetrable barrier
• Turkmen: demir perde — impenetrable barrier
• Ukrainian: залі́зна заві́са (zalízna zavísa) — impenetrable barrier
• Uyghur: تۆمۈر پەردە (tömür perde) — impenetrable barrier
• Uzbek: temir parda — impenetrable barrier
• Vietnamese: bức màn sắt — impenetrable barrier