French word

niveau

Pronunciation

IPA/nivo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounlevel

Example

Quel est ton niveau en français ?

What is your level of French?

Illustration for niveau (level)

More examples

Elle a atteint un niveau élevé en français.

She has reached a high level in French.

Core concept

A measured place on an ordered scale that shows how high, developed, or capable something is.

Common phrases

  • niveau de compétence

    skill level

  • un niveau élevé

    a high level

  • au même niveau

    at the same level

Similar words

degré: A stage or measure indicating the extent of progress.
stade: A defined point in the development of a process.
classe: A group classified by a shared standard, level, or rank.
hauteur: The height of something measured from a surface or floor.

Definition in French

Mesure qui classe une compétence, une qualité ou une situation selon un ordre ou un standard.

Word origin

The noun comes from Old French nivel and ultimately from Medieval Latin nivellum, which referred to a level or leveling device.

Usage tips

  • The complement clarifies the sense: niveau de langue means language proficiency, while niveau d'eau means water level.

Other meanings

  • stagenoun

Word lists with this word