French word

canicule

Pronunciation

IPA/kanikyl/

Meaning

  • feminine nounheat wave

Example

La canicule dure depuis trois jours.

The heat wave has lasted for three days.

Illustration for canicule (heat wave)

More examples

Une alerte à la canicule a été lancée ce matin.

A heat-wave warning was issued this morning.

Core concept

A broad, oppressive summer heat that lingers for days and disrupts ordinary life.

Common phrases

  • alerte à la canicule

    heat-wave warning

  • la canicule estivale

    summer heat wave

Similar words

vague de chaleur: A short-lived rise in temperatures well above normal across a wide area.
chaleur: The state or quality of being hot, including heat in the air or an object.
forte chaleur: A sustained spell of unusually high temperatures that feels extremely hot.

Definition in French

Chaleur extrême et prolongée en été, généralement sur plusieurs jours, qui perturbe les activités quotidiennes.

Word origin

French canicule comes from Latin canicula, meaning "little dog," the name linked to Sirius, whose summer rising became associated with the season's intense heat.

Usage tips

  • Canicule is feminine, so standard usage is la canicule and une canicule.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word