French Conversation · Level 101
60 words
French word
pile
Pronunciation
IPA/pil/
Meaning
- feminine nounbattery
Example
La pile de la télécommande est vide.
The remote control battery is dead.
More examples
Il faut changer la pile du détecteur de fumée.
The smoke detector's battery needs to be changed.
Core concept
Several units gathered into one compact block, a shape that also gives its name to a small source of electrical power.
Common phrases
changer la pile
change the battery
mettre une pile
put in a battery
pile bouton
button battery
Similar words
batterie: A large-capacity battery for cars or heavy equipment, often rechargeable.
pile bouton: A thin, round battery for watches and small electronic devices.
Definition in French
Désigne d'abord un empilement ou une masse, puis par extension un petit élément fournissant de l'énergie électrique.
Word origin
The noun developed from Latin pila, a pillar or mass, and later applied to Volta's stacked electrical cells.
Usage tips
- For a remote control, French normally uses pile for the replaceable cell, while batterie commonly indicates a rechargeable battery.
Other meanings
- stacknoun
- exactlyadverb
- tailsnoun
Related words
- empilerstackverb