French Conversation · Level 82
60 words
French word
décès
Pronunciation
IPA/desɛ/
Meaning
- masculine noundeath
Example
Elle a annoncé le décès de son grand-père.
She announced the death of her grandfather.
More examples
La cause du décès n'a pas été déterminée.
The cause of death has not been determined.
Core concept
The end of a person's life presented in a restrained public or formal announcement.
Common phrases
annoncer le décès de
announce the death of ___
certificat de décès
death certificate
cause du décès
cause of death
Similar words
mort: The state in which a person's life and bodily functions have ended.
Definition in French
Désigne la fin de la vie d'une personne, utilisé pour constater ou annoncer qu'une personne est morte.
Word origin
French décès developed from Latin decessus, meaning 'departure' or 'going away', from the verb decedere, 'to go away'.
Usage tips
- Décès is more formal and less direct than mort, so it is common in announcements, administrative language, and respectful references to someone's death.