French word

revers

Pronunciation

IPA/ʁəvɛʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounback

Example

Regarde le revers de la carte, il y a un message.

Look at the back of the card; there is a message.

Illustration for revers (back)

More examples

Après ce revers, il a retrouvé le moral.

After this defeat, he regained his spirits.

Core concept

The opposite face of a thing, whether hidden behind it or revealed when the thing is turned over.

Common phrases

  • subir un revers

    suffer a defeat

  • le revers d'une pièce

    the reverse side of a coin

  • au revers du vêtement

    on the inside of the garment

Similar words

dos: The back or rear side of a person or object.
verso: The reverse side of a sheet or page in a book.

Definition in French

Côté opposé à la face visible d'un objet, souvent caché ou retourné.

Word origin

French revers is inherited through Old French from Latin reversus, the past participle of revertere, 'turn back'.

Usage tips

  • For the back of a printed page, au verso is often more idiomatic than le revers, while le dos commonly names an object's back.

Other meanings

  • lapelnoun
  • defeatnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word