French Conversation · Level 83
60 words
French word
autruche
Pronunciation
IPA/otʁyʃ/
Meaning
- feminine nounostrich
Example
J'ai vu une autruche au zoo.
I saw an ostrich at the zoo.
More examples
Devant les questions difficiles, elle fait l'autruche.
Faced with difficult questions, she buries her head in the sand.
Core concept
A very large ground bird, recognizable by its long neck and strong running legs rather than wings suited to flight.
Common phrases
faire l'autruche
bury one's head in the sand
une autruche au zoo
an ostrich at the zoo
Similar words
oiseau: An animal with feathers and a beak, usually capable of flight.
Definition in French
Oiseau terrestre de grande taille, incapable de voler, doté d'un long cou et de pattes puissantes, adapté à courir rapidement en milieux ouverts.
Word origin
The French noun autruche developed from Old French forms such as ostruce, which came from Latin struthio and Greek strouthiōn.
Usage tips
- In faire l'autruche, the bird names a refusal to face a problem, not a literal claim that ostriches bury their heads in sand.