French Conversation · Level 108
60 words
French word
heurtoir
Pronunciation
IPA/œʁtwaʁ/
Meaning
- masculine noundoor knocker
Example
Avant d'entrer, frappe le heurtoir.
Before entering, knock on the door knocker.
More examples
On a remplacé le heurtoir par une sonnette électrique.
They replaced the door knocker with an electric doorbell.
Core concept
A fixed metal handle on a door, made to be struck rather than pressed or rung.
Similar words
sonnette: A device at an entrance that rings when its button is pressed.
interphone: A communication device for speaking with and checking visitors from outside a building.
Definition in French
Pièce de métal fixée à une porte que l'on frappe pour produire un bruit et annoncer sa présence.
Word origin
The noun heurtoir comes from the verb heurter and uses -oir to name an object associated with an action.
Usage tips
- Heurtoir names a physical knocker, while a bell or buzzer is usually called une sonnette and an entry phone an interphone.
Other meanings
- buffer stopnoun