French word

embouteiller

Pronunciation

IPA/ɑ̃buteje/

Meaning

  • verbjam

Example

La manifestation va embouteiller le centre-ville.

The demonstration will jam the city center.

Illustration for embouteiller (jam)

More examples

Les travaux vont embouteiller l'autoroute ce matin.

The roadwork will jam up the highway this morning.

Core concept

A street packed tight at a bottle's neck, so vehicles cannot pass.

Common phrases

  • embouteiller la circulation

    jam up traffic

  • embouteiller le centre-ville

    jam up downtown

  • embouteiller l'autoroute

    jam up the highway

Similar words

boucher: To block a street or exit and prevent passage.
bloquer: To physically stop progress and make passage impossible.
ralentir: To reduce speed and slow the flow of traffic.
paralyser: To bring movement or activity to a complete halt, making it unable to function.

Definition in French

Rendre très encombrée une voie ou un lieu par un grand nombre de véhicules, de façon à gêner ou bloquer la circulation.

Word origin

French embouteiller is formed from en- and bouteille, extending the idea of putting something into a bottle to traffic packed into a narrow space.

Usage tips

  • In the traffic sense, embouteiller is transitive, while s'embouteiller describes traffic or a road becoming blocked: La circulation s'embouteille.

Other meanings

  • bottleverb

Opposites

  • désengorgerrelieve congestionverb

Related words

Word lists with this word