French word

pinceau

Pronunciation

IPA/pɛ̃so/

Meaning

  • masculine nounpaintbrush

Example

Peux-tu me passer le pinceau, s'il te plaît ?

Could you pass me the paintbrush, please?

Illustration for pinceau (paintbrush)

More examples

Elle tient le pinceau avec précision.

She holds the paintbrush with precision.

Core concept

A handle ending in a compact tuft of bristles that carries paint and spreads it across a surface.

Common phrases

  • tenir le pinceau

    hold the paintbrush

  • se servir d'un pinceau

    use a paintbrush

  • un pinceau large

    a large paintbrush

Similar words

brosse: A tool with bristles or fibers for scrubbing away dirt.
pinceau de maquillage: A small, soft-bristled tool for applying makeup to the skin or eyes.
crayon: A slender tool with a core for writing or drawing on paper.
rouleau: A cylindrical tool for applying paint evenly over broad surfaces.

Definition in French

Outil formé d'un manche et de poils, destiné à appliquer et étaler la peinture sur une surface.

Word origin

French pinceau comes through Old French pincel from Latin penicillus, a diminutive form related to peniculus, meaning a brush.

Usage tips

  • Pinceau is masculine, so standard forms include un pinceau and ce pinceau, while the plural pinceaux keeps the same pronunciation.

Other meanings

  • brushnoun
  • makeup brushnoun

Word lists with this word