French word

foulque

Pronunciation

IPA/fulk/

Meaning

  • feminine nouncoot

Example

Il y a beaucoup de foulques sur ce lac.

There are many coots on this lake.

Illustration for foulque (coot)

More examples

Un banc de foulques glissait silencieusement sur l'eau.

A flock of coots glided silently across the water.

Core concept

A compact dark waterbird gliding across calm water with a bright white forehead.

Common phrases

  • nid de foulques

    nest of coots

  • banc de foulques

    flock of coots

Similar words

canard: A round-bodied water bird with a short neck that feeds while swimming or diving.
mouette: A small bird often seen near seas and rivers, flying to pick at fish and scraps.

Definition in French

Petit oiseau d'eau au corps sombre et au front blanc, souvent observé en train de nager sur les plans d'eau calmes.

Word origin

The French noun foulque descends through Old French from Latin fulica, a Latin name for a water bird.

Usage tips

  • Foulque is feminine, so the usual form is la foulque and adjectives agree with it, as in une foulque noire.

Word lists with this word