French Conversation · Level 23
90 words
French word
marée
Pronunciation
IPA/maʁe/
Meaning
- feminine nountide
Example
La marée monte rapidement aujourd'hui.
The tide is rising quickly today.
More examples
La marée est haute ce soir.
The tide is high this evening.
Core concept
A rhythmic rise and fall of seawater alternately covers and exposes parts of the shore.
Common phrases
la marée haute
high tide
la marée basse
low tide
marée montante
rising tide
Similar words
vague: A single wave forming at sea and moving toward the shore.
courant: A flow of water moving in a steady direction in the sea or a river.
houle: A large, slow swell caused by winds blowing far away.
onde: A small vibration or wave traveling across the water's surface.
Definition in French
Mouvement rythmique des masses d'eau de la mer qui fait varier le niveau du littoral, désignant les moments de marée haute et de marée basse.
Word origin
Old French marée developed from the word for sea, mer, whose origin is the Latin noun mare, and came to denote the sea's regular level changes.
Usage tips
- In marée noire, the word means an oil spill, while in marée humaine it refers figuratively to a large moving crowd.
Other meanings
- high tidenoun
- low tidenoun
Opposites
- marée basselow tidenoun