French Conversation · Level 16
89 words
French word
clou
Pronunciation
IPA/klu/
Meaning
- masculine nounnail
Example
J'ai trouvé un clou par terre.
I found a nail on the ground.
More examples
Pour accrocher le cadre, elle a planté un clou.
To hang the frame, she drove in a nail.
Core concept
A sharp metal piece pushed into wood or another surface to hold materials together, with its prominence extending to the idea of a standout feature.
Common phrases
planter un clou
drive in a nail
retirer un clou
pull out a nail
un clou dans le mur
a nail in the wall
Similar words
vis: A metal fastener with spiral grooves, tightened by turning it with a screwdriver.
agrafe: A small bent metal fastener used to hold sheets of paper or pieces of fabric together.
épingle: A thin, sharply pointed metal pin used to hold fabric or paper temporarily.
cheville: A cylindrical plastic or wooden fastener inserted into a wall hole for mounting objects.
Definition in French
Objet métallique et pointu que l'on enfonce dans une surface pour fixer ou assembler des matériaux.
Word origin
The French noun clou developed from Latin clavus through Old French, retaining the original sense of a nail and later developing figurative uses.
Usage tips
- In the fixed phrase le clou du spectacle, clou means the highlight or most striking part rather than a physical nail.
Other meanings
- highlightnoun
- main attractionnoun
Related words
- clouernailverb
- clouénailedadjective