French Conversation · Level 60
75 words
French word
empreinte
Pronunciation
IPA/ɑ̃pʁɛ̃t/
Meaning
- feminine nounfootprint
Example
On voit des empreintes dans la neige.
Footprints can be seen in the snow.
More examples
La police a relevé une empreinte digitale sur la poignée.
The police lifted a fingerprint from the handle.
Core concept
A visible trace pressed into a surface, from a footprint in snow to a fingerprint.
Common phrases
empreinte digitale
fingerprint
empreinte écologique
ecological footprint
laisser une empreinte
leave a mark
Similar words
trace: A sign or trace left by a person or object passing or making contact.
marque: A visible mark remaining on the surface of an object.
pas: The mark made by a foot on the ground while walking.
empreinte digitale: The pattern left by a finger touching a surface.
Definition in French
Marque laissée sur une surface par le contact d'un corps ou d'un objet, par exemple un pas ou un doigt.
Word origin
French empreinte comes through Old French from the feminine past participle of empreindre, ultimately from Latin imprimere, 'to press into or onto'.
Usage tips
- The final t in empreinte is pronounced, unlike the final consonant in many French words.
Other meanings
- tracenoun
- fingerprintnoun
Opposites
- effacementerasurenoun
- disparitiondisappearancenoun
Related words
- empreintimprintedadjective