French word

lièvre

Pronunciation

IPA/ljɛvʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounhare

Example

J'ai vu un lièvre sauter au bord du champ.

I saw a hare jump at the edge of the field.

Illustration for lièvre (hare)

More examples

Ce matin, j'ai aperçu un lièvre près du sentier.

This morning, I spotted a hare near the trail.

Core concept

A wary wild hare crosses open farmland in powerful leaps, far from a household hutch.

Common phrases

  • voir un lièvre

    see a hare

  • apercevoir un lièvre

    spot a hare

Similar words

lapin: A small, round-bodied rabbit kept as a pet or raised for food.

Definition in French

Animal mammifère sauvage ressemblant au lapin mais généralement plus grand, aux longues pattes arrière et aux grandes oreilles, qui vit dans les champs et se déplace par bonds.

Word origin

The French noun lièvre developed from Old French lievre, which continues Latin lepus and its genitive form leporis.

Usage tips

  • French uses lièvre for the wild animal and lapin for a rabbit, especially one associated with domestic life.

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