French word

brandon

Pronunciation

IPA/bʁɑ̃dɔ̃/

Meaning

  • masculine nountorch

Example

La nuit, il portait un brandon pour éclairer le chemin.

At night, he carried a torch to light the way.

Illustration for brandon (torch)

More examples

Ne laisse pas traîner un brandon près des feuilles sèches.

Don't leave a torch lying around near the dry leaves.

Core concept

A hand-held piece of wood with a live ember at one end, linking a torch's light to a fire's surviving glow.

Similar words

torche: A handheld light powered by fire or electricity, used to illuminate nearby or distant areas.
lampe: A light fixture powered by electricity or a battery to brighten an indoor or other area.
bougie: A wax-and-wick light that burns with a small, soft flame.

Definition in French

Brandon désigne un petit morceau de bois enflammé servant de torche, ou par extension un fragment encore incandescent après un feu.

Word origin

The Old French form brandon developed from Germanic brand, a root associated with burning wood and represented in English by brand.

Usage tips

  • Brandon has a literary or historical tone in modern French, while torche is the usual general word for a torch.

Other meanings

  • embernoun

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