French Conversation · Level 85
60 words
French word
lame
Pronunciation
IPA/lam/
Meaning
- feminine nounblade
Example
La lame du couteau est tranchante.
The knife blade is sharp.
More examples
Il faut affûter la lame pour qu'elle coupe bien.
The blade must be sharpened so that it cuts well.
Core concept
The flat, narrow cutting part attached to a knife, razor, or tool.
Common phrases
affûter la lame
sharpen the blade
une lame tranchante
a sharp blade
la lame d'un couteau de cuisine
the blade of a kitchen knife
Similar words
couteau: A handheld tool with a blade for cutting.
tranchant: The sharpened part used for cutting.
Definition in French
Surface plate et mince, souvent en métal, formant le tranchant d'un couteau, d'un rasoir ou d'un outil.
Word origin
French inherited lame from Latin lamina through Old French, preserving the idea of a thin plate while specializing it as a cutting part.
Usage tips
- English lame means weak or unimpressive, whereas French lame refers to a blade or other thin cutting plate.
Other meanings
- stripnoun