French word

plaie

Pronunciation

IPA/plɛ/

Meaning

  • feminine nounwound

Example

Il a une plaie sur la jambe.

He has a wound on his leg.

Illustration for plaie (wound)

More examples

Elle a dû bander la plaie avant de sortir.

She had to dress the wound before going out.

Core concept

An open injury where tissue has been damaged by a cut, impact, or bite and the body's inside is no longer fully protected.

Common phrases

  • bander une plaie

    dress a wound

  • nettoyer une plaie

    clean a wound

  • une plaie superficielle

    a superficial wound

Similar words

blessure: An injury to the body involving damage to the skin, muscles, or other tissues.
coupure: A minor sharp-object cut that breaks the skin and draws blood.
écorchure: A rubbed or torn area of skin caused by a fall or other friction.
brûlure: An injury to the skin caused by heat, chemicals, or similar burning effects.

Definition in French

Ouverture ou lésion de la peau ou des tissus sous-jacents, généralement causée par une coupure, un choc ou une morsure et susceptible de saigner ou d'infecter.

Word origin

The noun plaie is an inherited French form of Latin plaga, whose meanings included a blow and a wound, later narrowing to a bodily wound in French.

Usage tips

  • For a simple cut, coupure is often more specific, while plaie emphasizes the resulting open wound and blessure is the broader term for an injury.

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