French word

boulevard

Pronunciation

IPA/buləvaʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounboulevard

Example

Le boulevard est très animé ce soir.

The boulevard is very lively tonight.

Illustration for boulevard (boulevard)

More examples

Je prends le boulevard pour rentrer chez moi.

I take the boulevard to get home.

Core concept

A prominent city street spacious enough to frame rows of trees, shops, traffic, and pedestrians.

Common phrases

  • prendre le boulevard

    take the boulevard

  • monter le boulevard

    go up the boulevard

  • descendre le boulevard

    go down the boulevard

Similar words

rue: A narrower street lined with homes or shops and used for daily traffic.
avenue: A major city road, often lined with trees or built with wide lanes.
allée: A narrow path lined with trees or shrubs, mainly for pedestrians and light traffic.

Definition in French

Grande rue urbaine, souvent plantée d'arbres et aménagée sur l'emplacement d'anciennes fortifications, destinée à la circulation et aux promenades.

Word origin

From Dutch bolwerk, 'rampart', boulevard shifted in French from a road beside city defenses to a wide urban street after those defenses disappeared.

Usage tips

  • French commonly uses sur with a boulevard for a location or meeting point, as in se retrouver sur le boulevard.

Opposites

Word lists with this word