French Conversation · Level 10
88 words
French word
delta
Pronunciation
IPA/dɛlta/
Meaning
- masculine noundelta
Example
Nous avons visité le delta de la Loire hier.
We visited the Loire delta yesterday.
More examples
Le delta côtier abrite une biodiversité riche.
The coastal delta is home to rich biodiversity.
Core concept
A flat triangular spread of earth formed as a river slows and drops its carried sediment.
Common phrases
un delta côtier
a coastal delta
le delta du Nil
the Nile Delta
Similar words
embouchure: The place where a river flows into the sea or a lake.
estuaire: A broad tidal area where seawater mixes with river water.
lagune: A shallow, calm body of water partly enclosed by land and linked to the sea.
Definition in French
Zone de sédimentation à l'embouchure d'un cours d'eau, souvent en forme de triangle et caractérisée par l'accumulation de dépôts.
Word origin
French delta is a borrowing through Latin from Greek δέλτα, which names the letter Δ and led to the landform sense because of its shape.
Usage tips
- French pronounces delta with a clear final a, unlike the reduced final vowel often heard in English.