French Conversation · Level 165
27 words
French word
haleine
Pronunciation
IPA/alɛn/
Meaning
- feminine nounbreath
Example
Elle sentit son haleine sur son cou.
She felt her breath on her neck.
More examples
Il faut prendre haleine avant de plonger.
You need to catch your breath before diving.
Core concept
Warm air felt leaving the mouth or nose during speech or breathing.
Common phrases
prendre haleine
catch one's breath
retenir son haleine
hold one's breath
Similar words
souffle: A single short puff of expelled air.
odeur: A smell coming from an object or body.
Definition in French
Souffle produit par la respiration, souvent perceptible lorsqu'on parle ou expire.
Word origin
Haleine developed from Old French aleine, which goes back to Latin halitus, meaning breath.
Usage tips
- Haleine is feminine, so the noun takes une, as in une haleine fraîche or une mauvaise haleine.
Other meanings
- bad breathnoun