French Conversation · Level 87
60 words
French word
effondrement
Pronunciation
IPA/efɔ̃dʁəmɑ̃/
Meaning
- masculine nouncollapse
Example
L'effondrement du pont a fermé la route.
The collapse of the bridge closed the road.
More examples
L'effondrement du marché a surpris les investisseurs.
The market's collapse surprised investors.
Core concept
A stable whole loses its base in one abrupt failure and collapses into a fallen state.
Common phrases
effondrement du pont
collapse of the bridge
effondrement d'un bâtiment
collapse of a building
effondrement économique
economic collapse
Similar words
écroulement: The sudden crumbling and collapse of a structure or slope.
chute: The falling of a person or object from a high place.
ruine: A ruined state in which a building can no longer be used.
Definition in French
Décrit la perte soudaine de stabilité, qu'elle soit matérielle, économique ou psychique.
Word origin
The noun preserves the sense of s'effondrer, an Old French verb recorded as esfondrer, and adds -ment to name the resulting event or state.
Usage tips
- The noun commonly takes de to identify what fails, as in l'effondrement du pont.