French Conversation · Level 120
57 words
French word
griot
Pronunciation
IPA/gʁijo/
Meaning
- masculine noungriot
Example
Un griot raconte l'histoire de sa famille.
A griot tells the story of his family.
More examples
Lors de la cérémonie, un griot a chanté les exploits des ancêtres.
During the ceremony, a griot sang about the ancestors' exploits.
Core concept
A hereditary keeper of a community's history, carrying family lines and traditions through spoken stories and song.
Common phrases
un griot
a griot
les griots traditionnels
the traditional griots
Similar words
conteur: A storyteller who relates tales and legends to others.
poète: A poet who expresses thoughts and events in verse.
musicien: A musician who plays instruments or creates music.
chanteur: A singer who performs songs.
Definition in French
Personne, souvent héréditaire, qui chante, raconte et préserve les histoires, les généalogies et les traditions orales d'une communauté en Afrique de l'Ouest.
Word origin
French borrowed griot from a West African term for this role, while the word's deeper etymology remains uncertain.
Usage tips
- Griot is a masculine French noun, so the usual form is un griot; griotte is used for a woman in this role.
Other meanings
- storytellernoun