French word

chute

Pronunciation

IPA/ʃyt/

Meaning

  • feminine nounfall

Example

La chute du livre a réveillé le chat.

The book's fall woke the cat.

Illustration for chute (fall)

More examples

La chute des prix a surpris les consommateurs.

The fall in prices surprised consumers.

Core concept

A fall or downward change that marks a clear loss of height, level, or position.

Common phrases

  • faire une chute

    take a fall

  • la chute des prix

    fall in prices

  • une chute d'eau

    waterfall

Similar words

tombée: An event in which someone or something falls from a height and reaches the ground.
baisse: A reduction in a number, amount, or level.
cascade: Water rushing downward over a drop or series of drops.

Definition in French

Désigne l'action de tomber ou son résultat; emploi courant pour une chute accidentelle, pour une diminution et pour désigner une cascade isolée (chute d'eau).

Word origin

Chute is an inherited French form from Old French, ultimately based on Latin cadere, 'to fall', rather than a modern compound or abbreviation.

Usage tips

  • Chute de commonly introduces what falls, as in chute de température for a temperature drop or chute d'eau for a waterfall.

Other meanings

  • declinenoun
  • waterfallnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word