French Conversation · Level 92
60 words
French word
grisaille
Pronunciation
IPA/gʁizaj/
Meaning
- feminine noungrayness
Example
Il y a de la grisaille aujourd'hui.
It's gray today.
More examples
La grisaille persistante n'incite pas à sortir.
Persistent gray weather doesn't make you want to go outside.
Core concept
A gray wash over a scene or day that removes sharpness and leaves a subdued, monotonous mood.
Common phrases
un ciel de grisaille
a gray sky
un temps de grisaille
gloomy weather
des jours de grisaille
gloomy days
Similar words
brouillard: A thick ground-level fog that severely limits what can be seen.
brume: A light, widespread mist that gives the landscape a pale, blurred appearance.
pluie: Rain falling steadily from the sky in a continuous stream.
Definition in French
Désigne une impression générale de teinte grise et de morosité qui rend un paysage ou une journée sans relief.
Word origin
Grisaille derives from gris, 'gray', through the suffix -aille and later extended beyond gray-toned painting to wider states of dullness.
Usage tips
- Grisaille names an overall condition or atmosphere, while gris directly describes a noun, as in une journée grise.