French word

centre-ville

Pronunciation

IPA/sɑ̃tʁəvil/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncity center

Example

Le centre-ville est animé le soir.

The city center is lively in the evening.

Illustration for centre-ville (city center)

More examples

Il travaille au centre-ville tous les jours.

He works downtown every day.

Core concept

The lively central district where errands, commerce, and public activity converge.

Common phrases

  • habiter en centre-ville

    live downtown

  • travailler au centre-ville

    work downtown

  • la vie du centre-ville

    downtown life

Similar words

centre: The geographically central part of a town or city.
centre commercial: A large facility with many shops and places to eat.
quartier: A district where homes, shops, and offices are grouped together.
place: An open public space surrounded by buildings, used for gathering or meeting.

Definition in French

Partie d'une ville où se concentrent commerces, services et activités, formant le noyau animé de la vie urbaine.

Word origin

French centre-ville is a transparent compound of centre, inherited from Latin centrum, and ville, descended from Latin villa through Old French.

Usage tips

  • En centre-ville is also common for location, often without an article, as in travailler en centre-ville.

Other meanings

  • downtownnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word