French Conversation · Level 161
29 words
French word
massif
Pronunciation
IPA/masif/
Meaning
- masculine nounmountain range
Example
Le massif est souvent fermé aux randonneurs en hiver.
The mountain range is often closed to hikers in winter.
More examples
Dans le massif, la météo peut changer rapidement.
In the mountain range, the weather can change quickly.
Core concept
A continuous block of mountains seen as one distinct geographic unit.
Common phrases
dans le massif
in the mountain range
au cœur du massif
in the heart of the mountain range
les refuges du massif
the mountain range's mountain huts
Similar words
montagne: One large mountain or an area of mountainous land.
chaîne: A line of mountains extending across a region.
sommet: The top section of a mountain.
Definition in French
Ensemble de montagnes formant une masse continue et identifiable comme une unité géographique.
Word origin
French massif began as an adjective formed from masse, from Latin massa, with the suffix -if from Latin -ivus, and later became a noun for a mountain block.
Usage tips
- Massif is masculine, so the standard form is le massif, and a named range commonly follows de, as in le massif du Mont-Blanc.
Other meanings
- massifnoun
- massiveadjective
Opposites
- plaineplainnoun