French Conversation · Level 55
73 words
French word
frontière
Pronunciation
IPA/fʁɔ̃tjɛʁ/
Meaning
- feminine nounborder
Example
La frontière est fermée aujourd'hui.
The border is closed today.
More examples
Nous avons dû montrer nos papiers à la frontière.
We had to show our documents at the border.
Core concept
The dividing edge between neighboring countries, extending from a drawn line to the real crossing area around it.
Common phrases
passer la frontière
cross the border
contrôles à la frontière
border checks
fermer la frontière
close the border
Similar words
douane: The government service that inspects travelers and goods and handles duties and trade permits.
contrôle: An inspection of identity documents or belongings, or the place where it occurs.
barrière: A physical barrier used to stop people or vehicles from passing.
poste-frontière: A border facility where entry and exit checks and formalities are carried out.
Definition in French
Zone ou ligne qui sépare le territoire de deux pays et qui peut comprendre des contrôles pour le passage des personnes et des marchandises.
Word origin
Frontière is an Old French formation based on front with the suffix -ière, which forms a noun for a place or zone associated with it.
Usage tips
- Frontière also refers figuratively to a limit in a field such as science, so context distinguishes that sense from a national boundary.
Other meanings
- boundarynoun
- borderlandnoun
Opposites
- intérieurthe interiornoun
Related words
- frontalierborder-relatedadjective
- transfrontaliercross-borderadjective