French word

brai

Pronunciation

IPA/bʁɛ/

Meaning

  • masculine nountar

Example

Ils ont trouvé du brai sur la plage.

They found some tar on the beach.

Illustration for brai (tar)

More examples

On sent l'odeur du brai près de l'atelier.

You can smell the odor of tar near the workshop.

Core concept

A tar-like black mass made by heating wood or coal, sticky enough to seal gaps and resist water.

Similar words

goudron: A dark, sticky material made from coal, wood, or petroleum for waterproof and protective coatings.
bitume: A thick, black material found naturally or produced from petroleum for road surfacing and roofing.

Definition in French

Matière noire et épaisse, produite par cuisson ou distillation de matières organiques comme le bois ou le charbon, employée pour calfeutrer et protéger les coques, toits ou canalisations.

Word origin

The modern noun brai continues a medieval French term for pitch-like material, with Spanish brea as a closely related Romance form.

Usage tips

  • In brai, the final ai is pronounced like the French vowel in vrai, not as two separate sounds.

Other meanings

  • pitchnoun

Word lists with this word