French word

ivresse

Pronunciation

IPA/ivʁɛs/

Meaning

  • feminine noundrunkenness

Example

Après deux verres, elle a ressenti l'ivresse.

After two glasses, she felt the effects of drunkenness.

Illustration for ivresse (drunkenness)

More examples

Après le match, il a ressenti une ivresse de la victoire.

After the game, he felt the euphoria of victory.

Core concept

A lifted state in which pleasure or alcohol weakens ordinary restraint and control.

Common phrases

  • être en état d'ivresse

    be intoxicated

  • tomber dans l'ivresse

    fall into drunkenness

Similar words

état d'ivresse: The condition of being drunk.
biture: A state of severe drunkenness after consuming a large amount of alcohol.
ébriété: A state of impaired awareness and judgment caused by alcohol.

Definition in French

Sensation intense de plaisir ou d'exaltation, et aussi état d'ébriété provoqué par l'alcool entraînant une perte partielle de contrôle.

Word origin

Ivresse comes from Old French ivre, meaning drunk, which developed from Latin ebrius and took the noun-forming suffix -esse.

Usage tips

  • Ivresse is more literary or figurative than everyday terms such as soûl and bourré for being drunk.

Other meanings

  • ecstasynoun
  • exhilarationnoun

Opposites

  • sobriétésobrietynoun

Related words

  • enivrerintoxicateverb
  • enivrantintoxicatingadjective

Word lists with this word