French word

bayou

Pronunciation

IPA/baju/

Meaning

  • masculine nounbayou

Example

Le bayou coule lentement et abrite de nombreux animaux.

The bayou flows slowly and is home to many animals.

Illustration for bayou (bayou)

More examples

On a marché le long du bayou au petit matin.

We walked along the bayou early in the morning.

Core concept

A quiet waterway threading through a wetland, with dense vegetation along its slow-moving edges.

Common phrases

  • au bord du bayou

    at the edge of the bayou

  • se promener le long du bayou

    walk along the bayou

Similar words

ruisseau: A small natural stream running through mountains or low-lying land.
rivière: A wide, lengthy natural river flowing from the mountains into the sea.
canal: A man-made, straight channel used for boats or water transport.
fossé: A slim ditch cut into the ground for storing or draining water.

Definition in French

Cours d'eau lent et étroit qui traverse un marécage ou une zone humide, souvent peu profond et bordé de végétation marécageuse.

Word origin

The French noun bayou was borrowed from Louisiana French, which took it from Choctaw bayuk for a small stream.

Usage tips

  • French bayou is pronounced roughly ba-you, with two syllables, rather than like the usual English pronunciation of bayou.

Opposites

Word lists with this word