French word

ébauche

Pronunciation

IPA/eboʃ/

Meaning

  • feminine noundraft

Example

L'ébauche de la lettre est sur mon bureau.

The draft of the letter is on my desk.

Illustration for ébauche (draft)

More examples

J'ai gardé une ébauche du discours au cas où.

I kept a draft of the speech just in case.

Core concept

A rough first shape with the main lines visible before details and revision.

Common phrases

  • une ébauche de lettre

    a draft of a letter

  • faire une ébauche

    make a draft

  • ébauche de réponse

    a draft of a reply

Similar words

brouillon: An unpolished draft in which thoughts are written down freely.
projet: A proposed plan developed for future implementation.
note: A short note limited to the key points.
version: A particular stage or revised form of a work or document.

Definition in French

Version initiale et provisoire d'un texte, d'un dessin ou d'une idée, destinée à être retravaillée.

Word origin

The noun ébauche comes from the verb ébaucher, which developed the related sense of giving a work its first rough form.

Usage tips

  • In ordinary writing, brouillon is often more natural for a draft, while ébauche highlights an initial form or broad outline.

Other meanings

  • sketchnoun

Opposites

  • version finalefinal versionnoun

Related words

  • ébaucherdraftverb
  • ébauchédraftedadjective
  • ébauchagedraftingnoun

Word lists with this word