French word

lèvre

Pronunciation

IPA/lɛvʁ/

Meaning

  • feminine nounlip

Example

Il a mordu sa lèvre.

He bit his lip.

Illustration for lèvre (lip)

More examples

Il s'est coupé la lèvre en tombant.

He cut his lip when he fell.

Core concept

A soft, movable edge forming the upper and lower borders of the mouth.

Common phrases

  • se couper la lèvre

    cut one's lip

  • la lèvre inférieure

    lower lip

  • la lèvre tuméfiée

    swollen lip

Similar words

bouche: The entire mouth, used for eating and speaking.
dent: A hard structure in the mouth that cuts and chews food.
langue: The muscular organ in the mouth that senses taste and moves food.
joue: The soft area on the side of the face.

Definition in French

Partie charnue et mobile qui borde l'ouverture de la bouche.

Word origin

French lèvre comes through Old French from Latin labrum, meaning an edge or rim, which developed into the word for the mouth's edge.

Usage tips

  • Lèvre is feminine, so the basic form is une lèvre, and rouge à lèvres means lipstick.

Other meanings

  • rimnoun

Word lists with this word