French Conversation · Level 45
75 words
French word
craqueler
Pronunciation
IPA/kʁakəle/
Meaning
- verbcrack
Example
La peinture a craquelé.
The paint has cracked.
More examples
Le glaçage commence à craqueler en refroidissant.
The icing starts to crack as it cools.
Core concept
A thin surface gradually breaking into many hairline fissures, like a delicate web.
Common phrases
faire se craqueler
cause ___ to crack
commencer à se craqueler
start to crack
laisser se craqueler
allow ___ to crack
Similar words
se fissurer: A surface develops small cracks.
se fendiller: A surface develops extremely fine cracks.
Definition in French
Se dit d'une couche qui présente des craquelures fines formant un réseau de fissures, souvent par vieillissement ou dessèchement.
Word origin
The verb craqueler is formed within the craquer family, which names cracking sounds and the cracks they suggest.
Usage tips
- Craqueler can also be used transitively to mean causing a surface to crack, while se craqueler means becoming cracked.
Opposites
- réparerfixverb
- colmaterplugverb
Related words
- craquelécrackedadjective
- craquelurea network of fine cracksnoun
- craquelantcausing cracksadjective