French word

découvrir

Pronunciation

IPA/dekuvʁiʁ/

Meaning

  • verbdiscover

Example

Elle a découvert son talent pour la musique.

She discovered her talent for music.

Illustration for découvrir (discover)

More examples

J'ai découvert un petit café sympa près de chez moi.

I discovered a nice little café near my home.

Core concept

A covering is lifted so that a hidden thing or previously unknown fact comes into view.

Common phrases

  • découvrir un secret

    discover a secret

  • découvrir la vérité

    discover the truth

  • découvrir quelque chose

    discover something

Similar words

trouver: To locate a lost or sought object.
apprendre: To come to know new information or gain new knowledge.
remarquer: To notice something by paying attention to it.
s'apercevoir: To suddenly realize and understand a fact or situation.

Definition in French

Trouver ou apprendre l'existence de quelque chose qui était inconnu ou caché.

Word origin

Découvrir comes from Old French descovrir and Latin discooperire, formed from dis- meaning 'apart' and cooperire meaning 'cover'.

Usage tips

  • Découvrir quelque chose takes a direct object, while découvrir que introduces a clause containing newly learned information.

Other meanings

  • learnverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word