French word

pluie

Pronunciation

IPA/plɥi/

Meaning

  • feminine nounrain

Example

La pluie a cessé.

The rain has stopped.

Illustration for pluie (rain)

More examples

Nous avons pris la pluie en sortant du cinéma.

We got caught in the rain when leaving the cinema.

Core concept

An overhead shower of water drops that darkens surfaces and makes the ground wet.

Common phrases

  • prendre la pluie

    get caught in the rain

  • une légère pluie

    light rain

  • prévision de pluie

    rain forecast

Similar words

averse: A brief spell of intense rain.
bruine: Very fine rain falling lightly.
orage: A severe storm accompanied by thunder and strong winds.

Definition in French

Précipitation d'eau en gouttes tombant du ciel.

Word origin

The French noun pluie is inherited from Latin pluvia through the historical development of Old French.

Usage tips

  • French uses the impersonal verb il pleut for it is raining, regardless of the noun's feminine gender.

Opposites

Related words

  • pluvieuxrainyadjective

Word lists with this word