French word

bougie

Pronunciation

IPA/buʒi/

Meaning

  • feminine nouncandle

Example

J'ai acheté une bougie parfumée.

I bought a scented candle.

Illustration for bougie (candle)

More examples

Ils ont mis des bougies sur le gâteau.

They put candles on the cake.

Core concept

A bougie is a compact object centered on ignition: a wick burns in wax for a candle, while an engine part produces a spark.

Common phrases

  • allumer une bougie

    light a candle

  • éteindre une bougie

    put out a candle

  • une bougie d'anniversaire

    a birthday candle

Similar words

lampe: A lighting device powered by electricity or fuel.
ampoule: A glass electric light source fitted into a lamp or other fixture.
allumette: A short wooden or paper stick with a tip that ignites when rubbed.

Definition in French

Objet principalement composé de cire entourant une mèche, destiné à être allumé pour fournir une faible source de lumière ou créer une ambiance.

Word origin

French borrowed the noun from Bougie, the former name of Béjaïa, whose candles were known in Europe and gave the place name a new meaning.

Usage tips

  • In automotive contexts, "une bougie" usually means a spark plug, more specifically "une bougie d'allumage"; "bougie de cire" makes the candle sense explicit.

Other meanings

  • spark plugnoun

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