French word

foudre

Pronunciation

IPA/fudʁ/

Meaning

  • feminine nounlightning

Example

La foudre est tombée près de nous.

Lightning struck near us.

Illustration for foudre (lightning)

More examples

Un coup de foudre a brisé la branche du chêne.

A lightning strike broke the oak branch.

Core concept

A sudden white-hot strike that connects the storm above with a precise point below.

Common phrases

  • un coup de foudre

    a lightning strike

Similar words

éclair: A brief, intensely bright flash in the sky or within a cloud.
tonnerre: The loud, deep sound heard when lightning occurs.
orage: Stormy weather with thunder and heavy rain.

Definition in French

Décharge électrique très intense et brève qui frappe le sol, un objet ou un être vivant pendant un orage.

Word origin

The French noun foudre is an inherited form descended from Latin fulgur through the sound changes of Old French.

Usage tips

  • Éclair usually names the brief flash of light, whereas foudre names the powerful lightning strike itself.

Other meanings

  • thunderboltnoun
  • casknoun

Related words

  • foudroyerstrike downverb
  • foudroyantstunningadjective
  • foudroyéstruck by lightningadjective

Word lists with this word