French Conversation · Level 79
60 words
French word
cormoran
Pronunciation
IPA/kɔʁmoʁɑ̃/
Meaning
- masculine nouncormorant
Example
On a vu un cormoran près du port ce matin.
We saw a cormorant near the port this morning.
More examples
Un cormoran plonge profondément pour attraper un poisson.
A cormorant dives deeply to catch a fish.
Core concept
A dark, long-bodied bird vanishing beneath the water for fish, then resting with its wings held wide.
Common phrases
un cormoran au bord de l'eau
a cormorant by the water
des cormorans en groupe
cormorants in a group
un cormoran qui plonge
a cormorant that dives
Similar words
goéland: A pale medium-to-large coastal bird that eats fish and scavenges human leftovers.
mouette: A small white coastal bird often seen flying around in search of food.
canard: A waterbird that swims in ponds and rivers and eats plants and small creatures.
Definition in French
Oiseau aquatique de grande taille au plumage sombre, qui plonge pour attraper des poissons et que l'on voit souvent poser au soleil pour sécher ses ailes.
Word origin
French cormoran developed from medieval French forms such as cormarenc, ultimately based on Latin corvus marinus, "sea raven".
Usage tips
- The final -n is not pronounced in cormoran; the ending is a nasal vowel, roughly like the sound in French maman.