French word

flanc

Pronunciation

IPA/flɑ̃/

Meaning

  • masculine nounside

Example

Le camion est endommagé sur le flanc.

The truck has been damaged along its side.

Illustration for flanc (side)

More examples

Le fermier cultive les flancs de la colline.

The farmer cultivates the slopes of the hill.

Core concept

A broad side surface running beside the central body, from a person's waist to a vehicle or hillside.

Common phrases

  • couché sur le flanc

    lying on one's side

  • un coup dans le flanc

    a blow to the side

  • le flanc gauche

    the left side

Similar words

côté: A general side indicating one of two positions or directions.
bord: The narrow part along an object's edge or boundary.
face: The flat front or outer surface of an object.
versant: A sloping side of a hill or mountain.

Definition in French

Partie latérale d'un corps, généralement entre la côte et le bassin ; par extension, côté latéral d'un objet, d'un véhicule ou d'un relief.

Word origin

The French noun flanc is an Old French borrowing from a Germanic source, and it shares its origin with the English word flank.

Usage tips

  • French often uses flanc for a concrete side or damaged area, while the broader word côté is more usual for an abstract side.

Other meanings

  • flanknoun
  • slopenoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word