French word

barque

Pronunciation

IPA/baʁk/

Meaning

  • feminine nounboat

Example

La barque glisse doucement sur le lac.

The boat glides gently across the lake.

Illustration for barque (boat)

More examples

Ils ont pris la barque pour traverser la rivière.

They took the boat to cross the river.

Core concept

A little open boat carrying people quietly across a lake, river, or other sheltered water.

Common phrases

  • prendre la barque

    take the boat

  • une barque à rames

    a rowboat

Similar words

bateau: A general term for a watercraft used for travel on water.
canot: A lightweight, easy-to-handle small boat powered by oars or a small engine.
canoë: A narrow paddle-powered boat commonly used by one or two people.

Definition in French

Embarcation de petite taille, souvent propulsée à la rame et utilisée pour naviguer sur des eaux calmes ou pour effectuer de courtes traversées.

Word origin

French inherited barque from Latin barca, an ancient word for a small boat, through the historical development of French.

Usage tips

  • In ordinary modern speech, bateau or canot is often more natural than barque, which can sound literary or regional.

Other meanings

  • rowboatnoun

Related words

  • barquettesmall boat-shaped containernoun

Word lists with this word