French Conversation · Level 186
15 words
French word
poisse
Pronunciation
IPA/pwas/
Meaning
- feminine nounbad luck
Example
Il a vraiment la poisse ces jours-ci.
He's really been having bad luck lately.
More examples
C'est la poisse, la voiture est tombée en panne.
It's bad luck; the car broke down.
Core concept
A run of setbacks that seems glued to one person and refuses to let go.
Common phrases
c'est la poisse
It's bad luck
Similar words
malchance: Bad luck caused by chance.
malheur: Serious misfortune or a deeply distressing event in life.
Definition in French
Désigne une malchance persistante ou une suite de contretemps qui s'acharnent sur quelqu'un.
Word origin
Poisse comes from the vocabulary of pitch or tar, represented by Old French poix, and acquired its figurative sense through the idea of stickiness.
Usage tips
- Quelle poisse ! works as a familiar exclamation, while avoir la poisse describes someone experiencing recurring bad luck.
Opposites
- chancelucknoun