French Conversation · Level 75
60 words
French word
raser
Pronunciation
IPA/ʁaze/
Meaning
- verbshave
Example
Il se rase tous les matins.
He shaves every morning.
More examples
Il s'est rasé la barbe avant la réunion.
He shaved his beard before the meeting.
Core concept
A blade or edge skims a surface and leaves it bare, whether the surface is hair, material, or a building.
Common phrases
se raser la barbe
shave one's beard
se raser le visage
shave one's face
se raser les jambes
shave one's legs
Similar words
couper: An object or hair is cut with scissors or a knife to alter its length or shape.
épiler: Hair is removed by plucking it out from the roots.
Definition in French
Enlever les poils en approchant une lame de la peau; le verbe s'emploie aussi pour niveler ou enlever une couche de matière ou démolir un bâtiment.
Word origin
Raser comes from Old French raser, from Latin radere, meaning 'to scrape or shave,' and retains this idea of removing a surface layer.
Usage tips
- Se raser is reflexive for shaving oneself, while raser takes a direct object when someone shaves another person or removes a layer.
Other meanings
- scrapeverb
- razeverb
Related words
- rasageshavingnoun
- raséshavedadjective
- rasoirrazornoun