French Conversation · Level 104
60 words
French word
gelée
Pronunciation
IPA/ʒəle/
Meaning
- feminine nounfrost
Example
Ce matin, la gelée a recouvert les champs.
This morning, frost covered the fields.
More examples
La gelée rend la route glissante.
Frost causes the road to become slippery.
Core concept
A thin white film of ice coating grass, fields, and other exposed surfaces around dawn.
Common phrases
risque de gelée
threat of frost
gelée de printemps
springtime frost
gelée au sol
frost at ground level
Similar words
givre: White, powdery ice crystals clinging to plants or metal surfaces.
verglas: A thin, transparent layer of slippery ice covering a road.
gel: The freezing of ground or roads during the night.
Definition in French
Pellicule glacée résultant du gel de l'humidité, généralement visible au petit matin sur les surfaces exposées.
Word origin
French gelée is a noun formed from the verb geler, ultimately from Latin gelu, meaning frost or ice.
Usage tips
- Gelée is feminine, so the usual expression is de la gelée, and it can also mean jelly in another context.