French word

disparu

Pronunciation

IPA/dispaʁy/

Meaning

  • masculine nounmissing person

Example

La police recherche le disparu.

The police are searching for the missing person.

Illustration for disparu (missing person)

More examples

Un témoin affirme avoir aperçu le disparu près de la gare.

A witness claims to have seen the missing person near the station.

Core concept

A person who has dropped out of sight, leaving authorities without a known location or outcome.

Common phrases

  • la famille du disparu

    missing person's family

  • appel à témoins concernant le disparu

    appeal for witnesses regarding the missing person

  • photo du disparu

    photo of the missing person

Similar words

personne disparue: A person who has suddenly disappeared and whose whereabouts are unknown.
personne portée disparue: A person officially reported as missing.
disparition: The sudden absence of a person or thing.
enlèvement: The crime or act of taking someone away by force or deception.

Definition in French

Désigne quelqu'un déclaré disparu lorsque l'on ignore sa position ou son sort.

Word origin

Disparu developed as the substantivized past participle of disparaître, a verb built from dis- and paraître, which comes from Latin parere, 'appear'.

Usage tips

  • The word can cover both a missing person and, in contexts such as war or disaster, someone presumed dead, so context determines the intended sense.

Related words

Word lists with this word