French word

livre

Pronunciation

IPA/livʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounbook

Example

Tu as ce livre ?

Do you have this book?

Illustration for livre (book)

More examples

J'ai acheté ce livre hier.

I bought this book yesterday.

Core concept

A portable block of printed or handwritten pages that opens into a complete work.

Common phrases

  • lire un livre

    read a book

  • acheter un livre

    buy a book

  • prêter un livre

    lend a book

Similar words

bouquin: A small, easy-to-read book referred to in a familiar, informal way.
roman: A long fictional narrative presented as a novel.

Definition in French

Ensemble de feuilles écrites ou imprimées, reliées entre elles et protégées par une couverture, formant un ouvrage destiné à la lecture.

Word origin

French inherited livre for a book from Latin liber through Old French, but its homonym for a pound developed from Latin libra.

Usage tips

  • Librairie means bookshop or bookstore, whereas bibliothèque means library and does not mean a shop selling books.

Other meanings

  • poundnoun

Related words

Word lists with this word