French word

pierre

Pronunciation

IPA/pjɛʁ/

Meaning

  • feminine nounstone

Example

La maison est en pierre.

The house is made of stone.

Illustration for pierre (stone)

More examples

Elle porte une bague avec une pierre précieuse.

She is wearing a ring with a precious stone.

Core concept

A hard chunk of rock that can lie in nature or become part of a wall or building.

Common phrases

  • en pierre

    made of stone

  • jeter une pierre

    throw a stone

  • pierre précieuse

    precious stone

Similar words

caillou: A small stone that can be picked up, often found on roads or riverbanks.
rocher: A large, rugged mass of rock found on a shore or mountain.
galet: A small stone made smooth and flat by waves or flowing water.

Definition in French

Bloc ou fragment solide de roche, naturel ou taillé, employé comme matériau ou trouvé dans la nature.

Word origin

The French noun pierre comes through Old French from Latin petra, ultimately from Greek petra meaning rock or stone.

Usage tips

  • Pierre is feminine, so standard forms include la pierre, une pierre, and cette pierre.

Word lists with this word