French word

polar

Pronunciation

IPA/polaʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncrime thriller

Example

On a regardé un polar à la télé hier soir.

We watched a crime thriller on TV last night.

Illustration for polar (crime thriller)

More examples

Elle a recommandé ce polar à ses amis.

She recommended this crime novel to her friends.

Core concept

A crime plot that follows clues through an investigation until the hidden truth is revealed.

Common phrases

  • lire un polar

    read a crime novel

  • acheter un polar

    buy a crime novel

Similar words

roman policier: A detective novel in which a detective or police officer solves a case.
film policier: A crime film in which a detective or police officer investigates a case.

Definition in French

Texte, film ou série policière mettant en scène un crime et son investigation, avec suspense et révélation finale fréquente.

Word origin

Polar arose in French slang as a shortened form of roman policier and later became established in common usage for the genre.

Usage tips

  • Polar is masculine, so the usual form is un polar, including when it refers to a film or television series.

Opposites

Word lists with this word