French word

métissage

Pronunciation

IPA/metisaʒ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounblending

Example

Le métissage des cultures enrichit la ville.

The blending of cultures enriches the city.

Illustration for métissage (blending)

More examples

Le métissage musical se voit dans les festivals locaux.

Musical fusion is visible at local festivals.

Core concept

Different cultural or stylistic strands woven into a new, recognizable whole.

Common phrases

  • métissage culturel

    cultural fusion

  • métissage musical

    musical fusion

  • métissage social

    social fusion

Similar words

mélange: A state in which several elements are mixed together.
fusion: The merging of elements into a single unified whole.

Definition in French

Action ou résultat de mélanger des éléments différents, particulièrement des cultures ou des styles, pour créer un ensemble nouveau.

Word origin

Métissage is formed from métisser with the noun-forming suffix -age; métis comes through Old French mestis from Latin mixtus, meaning mixed.

Usage tips

  • Métissage is masculine, so the standard article is le, as in le métissage culturel.

Other meanings

  • racial mixingnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • métissermixverb
  • métissémixed-raceadjective
  • métismixed-race personnoun

Word lists with this word