French Conversation · Level 131
45 words
French word
caution
Pronunciation
IPA/kosjɔ̃/
Meaning
- feminine noundeposit
Example
Il faut payer une caution pour louer l'appartement.
You have to pay a deposit to rent the apartment.
More examples
Le propriétaire a retenu une partie de la caution pour réparer les dégâts.
The landlord withheld part of the deposit to repair the damage.
Core concept
Money placed beside a contract as a financial shield, available to the other party if the agreement is broken.
Common phrases
retenir la caution
withhold the deposit
rendre la caution
return the deposit
une caution locative
rental security deposit
Similar words
dépôt de garantie: A deposit paid under a contract and usually returned when the agreement ends.
garantie: A warranty covering repair or replacement when a product or service is defective.
acompte: An advance payment covering part of the price of a purchase or job.
arrhes: A booking or contract deposit that may be lost if the agreement is canceled.
Definition in French
Argent placé en garantie au moment de la conclusion d'un contrat et susceptible d'être retenu en cas de manquement aux obligations contractuelles.
Word origin
French caution comes from Latin cautio, meaning a guarantee or precaution, and ultimately from cavere, meaning to take care.
Usage tips
- Caution is feminine, so the usual form is une caution, and its contract sense is not the English noun caution, meaning a warning.
Other meanings
- guarantornoun
- guaranteenoun
Opposites
- restitutionrestitutionnoun
Related words
- cautionnementsurety agreementnoun