French word

col

Pronunciation

IPA/kɔl/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncollar

Example

Il relève le col de sa veste.

He raises the collar of his jacket.

Illustration for col (collar)

More examples

Le col de sa chemise était taché.

The collar of his shirt was stained.

Core concept

The raised edge that surrounds a neck, with a mountain pass viewed as a similar narrowing between slopes.

Common phrases

  • col montant

    high collar

  • col de veste

    jacket collar

  • sans col

    without a collar

Similar words

encolure: The opening around the neck of a garment and its surrounding edge.
revers: The folded-back fabric at the front of a jacket or coat.
col roulé: A high, rounded sweater collar that covers the neck and folds over.
tour de cou: A fabric band or accessory that fits closely around the neck.

Definition in French

Partie supérieure d'un vêtement qui encadre le cou, souvent appelée encolure.

Word origin

French col continues Latin collum, 'neck', through Old French; the geographic sense extends the neck image to a low route between mountains.

Usage tips

  • The final consonant is pronounced in col, approximately like the l in English 'call', not silently as in some French word endings.

Other meanings

  • passnoun
  • necklinenoun

Opposites

  • décolletélow necklinenoun

Related words

  • encolurenecklinenoun
  • colliernecklacenoun

Word lists with this word