French word

oie

Pronunciation

IPA/wa/

Meaning

  • feminine noungoose

Example

L'oie traverse le jardin.

The goose crosses the garden.

Illustration for oie (goose)

More examples

Une oie sauvage a traversé le champ.

A wild goose crossed the field.

Core concept

A goose moving between a farmyard and a pond, with its long neck raised and its webbed feet visible.

Common phrases

  • une oie sauvage

    a wild goose

  • foie gras d'oie

    goose foie gras

Similar words

canard: A medium-sized domesticated waterfowl with a bill and webbed feet.
poule: A female chicken, often kept for laying eggs.
poulet: A young chicken, often raised for food.
oiseau: An animal with wings and a bill that often flies.

Definition in French

Désigne un grand oiseau aquatique d'élevage appartenant aux anatidés, employé pour parler tant de la femelle que de l'espèce en général.

Word origin

The modern form oie continues Old French oie and belongs to a Romance word family that includes Italian oca and Spanish oca.

Usage tips

  • As a feminine noun, oie takes la or l' before a vowel, as in l'oie, even when it denotes the species generally.

Word lists with this word