French word

échelle

Pronunciation

IPA/eʃɛl/

Meaning

  • feminine nounladder

Example

Il a grimpé sur l'échelle pour changer l'ampoule.

He climbed the ladder to change the light bulb.

Illustration for échelle (ladder)

More examples

J'ai pris une échelle pour atteindre le toit.

I took a ladder to reach the roof.

Core concept

Repeated steps create an ordered path upward and an ordered range for measuring size, degree, or status.

Common phrases

  • prendre une échelle

    take a ladder

  • monter sur une échelle

    climb a ladder

  • sur une échelle

    on a ladder

Similar words

escalier: A set of steps forming a passage for walking up and down.
escabeau: A short, portable stepladder with a few steps, often used indoors.
échelon: A short horizontal step on a ladder or staircase.

Definition in French

Un appareil constitué de deux montants reliés par des barreaux pour grimper; au sens figuré, un système de niveaux, une hiérarchie ou une graduation mesurable.

Word origin

French inherited échelle from Old French eschelle, itself derived from Latin scala, and retained the concrete ladder meaning alongside its abstract level-based meanings.

Usage tips

  • For a short freestanding step ladder, French uses escabeau, while escalier normally refers to a staircase built into a building.

Other meanings

  • scalenoun

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