French word

doucher

Pronunciation

IPA/duʃe/

Meaning

  • verbshower

Example

Je me douche tous les matins.

I take a shower every morning.

Illustration for doucher (shower)

More examples

La pluie a douché nos plans.

The rain put a damper on our plans.

Core concept

Water falls in a controlled stream onto a body, with the same forceful cooling image extending to enthusiasm or hopes.

Common phrases

  • se doucher le matin

    take a shower in the morning

  • se doucher rapidement

    take a quick shower

  • se doucher avant de sortir

    take a shower before going out

Similar words

se doucher: Washing oneself under a shower.
prendre une douche: Taking a shower to wash dirt and sweat from the body.
se laver: Washing the body or hands with soap and water.
se baigner: Entering water for bathing.

Definition in French

Se laver le corps sous un jet d'eau continu; le verbe s'emploie le plus souvent à la forme pronominale «se doucher».

Word origin

Built from French douche with the verbal ending -er, doucher preserves Italian doccia and its older link to Latin ductus, associated with guided water flow.

Usage tips

  • The transitive form doucher quelqu'un means to spray or shower someone, while doucher l'enthousiasme uses the image figuratively to cool enthusiasm.

Other meanings

  • dampenverb

Opposites

Related words

  • doucheshowernoun
  • douchéshoweredadjective
  • douchettehandheld showernoun

Word lists with this word