French word

croiser

Pronunciation

IPA/kʁwaze/

Meaning

  • verbrun into

Example

J'ai croisé mon professeur au supermarché.

I ran into my teacher at the supermarket.

Illustration for croiser (run into)

More examples

Ce matin, j'ai croisé mon voisin en allant au travail.

This morning, I ran into my neighbor on my way to work.

Core concept

Two paths briefly cross, bringing two people together before each continues.

Common phrases

  • croiser un ancien collègue

    run into an old colleague

  • croiser le regard de quelqu'un

    meet someone's gaze

  • croiser le chemin de quelqu'un

    cross paths with someone

Similar words

rencontrer: Meet someone and come face to face.
tomber sur: Come across a person or thing by chance.
apercevoir: Catch sight of someone or something briefly.
frôler: Pass so close to someone or something that contact is nearly made.

Definition in French

Rencontrer quelqu'un par hasard en passant ; peut aussi désigner le croisement physique de deux trajectoires ou de deux objets.

Word origin

Croiser derives from Old French croisier, based on crois, "cross," from Latin crux; the crossing sense extended to chance meetings.

Usage tips

  • With a person, croiser usually suggests a brief chance encounter, while rencontrer is broader and also suits planned meetings.

Other meanings

  • pass byverb
  • intersectverb

Opposites

Related words

  • croisementintersectionnoun
  • recroiserrun into againverb

Word lists with this word