French Conversation · Level 54
73 words
French word
ralentissement
Pronunciation
IPA/ʁalɑ̃tisəmɑ̃/
Meaning
- masculine nounslowdown
Example
On signale un ralentissement sur la route ce matin.
A slowdown has been reported on the road this morning.
More examples
Le ralentissement économique commence à toucher les petites entreprises.
The economic slowdown is starting to affect small businesses.
Core concept
A rhythmic process whose pace gradually drops, whether it is traffic, work, or economic activity.
Common phrases
des ralentissements sur la route
road slowdowns
un ralentissement économique
economic slowdown
un ralentissement du trafic
traffic slowdown
Similar words
retard: A delay in the expected arrival or start time.
lenteur: A state of moving or progressing slowly.
embouteillage: Heavy traffic that leaves vehicles barely able to move.
freinage: The action of reducing speed with a brake.
Definition in French
Se rapporte à la réduction progressive de la vitesse ou du rythme d'une action, d'un trafic ou d'une activité.
Word origin
Ralentissement is a derivative of ralentir, a verb associated with lent and ultimately with the Latin adjective lentus, meaning 'slow'.
Usage tips
- In traffic reports, un ralentissement often means congestion that reduces traffic speed, not necessarily a full traffic jam.
Opposites
- accélérationaccelerationnoun
Related words
- ralentirdecelerateverb
- ralentisseurdeceleration devicenoun
- ralentissantdeceleratingadjective