French word

registre

Pronunciation

IPA/ʁəʒistʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounregister

Example

Il utilise un registre familier avec ses amis.

He uses an informal register with his friends.

Illustration for registre (register)

More examples

Le journaliste a choisi un registre neutre pour cet article.

The journalist chose a neutral register for this article.

Core concept

A language setting that shifts from close and casual to distant and formal with the situation.

Common phrases

  • registre familier

    informal register

  • registre soutenu

    formal register

  • registre de langue

    language register

Similar words

niveau: A degree of formality or stiffness in language.
ton: The tone and emotional coloring conveyed by the way someone speaks.
style: Characteristic choices of words and ways of expressing ideas.
langage: The words and expressions commonly used by a person or group.

Definition in French

Manière d'utiliser la langue propre à une situation sociale ou à un groupe, déterminée par le choix du vocabulaire, le ton et le degré de formalité.

Word origin

French registre comes from Medieval Latin registrum, a record book, and extended through Old French from an organized record to a categorized style of language.

Usage tips

  • Registre is masculine, so the usual phrase is un registre familier, not une registre familier.

Other meanings

  • stylenoun
  • recordnoun

Opposites

  • registre soutenuformal registernoun

Related words

Word lists with this word