French Conversation · Level 82
60 words
French word
grain
Pronunciation
IPA/gʁɛ̃/
Meaning
- masculine nounspeck
Example
Il y a un grain de poussière sur la table.
There is a speck of dust on the table.
More examples
Il ajoute toujours son grain de sel.
He always adds his two cents.
Core concept
One distinct speck, like a kernel or bit of sand, serving as a small unit within something larger.
Common phrases
avoir un grain
to be a little crazy
ajouter son grain de sel
to add one's two cents
un grain de folie
a touch of madness
Similar words
poussière: A very fine particle of powder or grime.
sable: A fine grain of stone found on beaches, riverbeds, or the ground.
graine: A plant seed capable of growing into a new plant.
miette: A tiny fragment of bread or cookie.
Definition in French
Petit élément solide et distinct, comme une petite graine, un grain de sable ou une particule, et par extension une très petite quantité.
Word origin
The French noun grain is inherited from Latin granum through Old French, moving from the sense of a cereal kernel to that of a particle and then a tiny quantity.
Usage tips
- Avoir un grain is colloquial and means to be slightly eccentric, not to possess a physical grain.
Other meanings
- grainnoun
Opposites
- massemassnoun
Related words
- granulegranulenoun
- granulairegranularadjective