French word

paratonnerre

Pronunciation

IPA/paʁatonɛʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounlightning rod

Example

Le paratonnerre protège la maison pendant l'orage.

The lightning rod protects the house during the storm.

Illustration for paratonnerre (lightning rod)

More examples

Le paratonnerre protège les équipements électriques du bâtiment.

The lightning rod protects the building's electrical equipment.

Core concept

A metal rod high on a building channels a lightning strike safely into the ground.

Similar words

éclair: A sudden, narrow flash of light in the sky, often linked to thunder.
orage: A brief period of severe weather with thunder and heavy rainfall.
foudre: An intense electrical discharge in the atmosphere, often producing light and a shockwave.

Definition in French

Équipement métallique installé en hauteur sur un bâtiment, relié à la terre pour capter la foudre et l'évacuer afin de protéger la construction.

Word origin

The French compound paratonnerre joins the protective prefix para- to tonnerre, 'thunder', from Latin tonare.

Usage tips

  • Paratonnerre is masculine, so standard forms include un paratonnerre and le paratonnerre.

Word lists with this word