French word

bibliothèque

Pronunciation

IPA/biblijotɛk/

Meaning

  • feminine nounlibrary

Example

Il y a beaucoup de livres à la bibliothèque.

There are many books in the library.

Illustration for bibliothèque (library)

More examples

Je me suis inscrit à la bibliothèque la semaine dernière.

I registered at the library last week.

Core concept

Shelves of books inside a shared public space, with readers taking books out or reading quietly there.

Common phrases

  • s'inscrire à la bibliothèque

    register at the library

  • emprunter un livre à la bibliothèque

    borrow a book from the library

Similar words

librairie: A shop that displays and sells books for purchase.
médiathèque: A library that lends books along with films, music, and other media.
archives: A facility that collects, preserves, and manages important documents and records.

Definition in French

Lieu public où l'on conserve et prête des livres et où les gens peuvent lire ou étudier.

Word origin

The word developed from Latin bibliotheca, a borrowing of Greek bibliothēkē, combining biblion for 'book' with thēkē for a container or storehouse.

Usage tips

  • Bibliothèque means a library, whereas librairie usually means a bookshop and is the common false friend for English learners.

Other meanings

  • bookcasenoun

Related words

  • bibliothécairelibrariannoun

Word lists with this word