French Conversation · Level 138
30 words
French word
pesanteur
Pronunciation
IPA/pəzɑ̃tœʁ/
Meaning
- feminine noungravity
Example
La pesanteur attire les objets vers la Terre.
Gravity pulls objects toward Earth.
More examples
On ressent la pesanteur d'une décision importante.
We feel the weight of an important decision.
Core concept
An invisible downward pull that makes bodies fall and gives heaviness to what it affects.
Common phrases
la pesanteur d'une situation
the weight of a situation
ressentir la pesanteur
feel the weight
Similar words
poids: The heaviness an object has or seems to have.
gravité: The attractive force exerted by a celestial body.
lourdeur: A feeling of physical heaviness or oppressive weight.
Definition in French
La pesanteur est la force d'attraction qui tire les corps vers le bas; le mot sert aussi à parler d'une lourdeur ressentie.
Word origin
French pesanteur is formed from pesant with the suffix -eur, while pesant comes through Old French peser from Latin pensare.
Usage tips
- In physics, gravité names gravity broadly, poids names the force on a particular object, and pesanteur often highlights gravity's downward effect.