French Conversation · Level 60
75 words
French word
barbe
Pronunciation
IPA/baʁb/
Meaning
- feminine nounbeard
Example
Il a une barbe.
He has a beard.
More examples
Il préfère garder sa barbe de trois jours.
He prefers to keep his three-day stubble.
Core concept
The hair growing across the lower face, from the chin toward the cheeks.
Common phrases
une barbe de trois jours
three-day stubble
une barbe bien taillée
a well-trimmed beard
Similar words
moustache: Hair growing above the upper lip.
cheveu: A single hair growing on the head.
poil: A single short hair growing on the body or face.
Definition in French
Poils du visage, surtout situés sur le menton et les joues, considérés comme un tout.
Word origin
The French noun descends from Latin barba, an old word for facial hair that continued into French through earlier forms of the language.
Usage tips
- French uses barbe for the whole beard, while moustache refers specifically to the hair above the upper lip.
Related words
- barbichegoateenoun
- barbubeardedadjective