French word

sapin

Pronunciation

IPA/sapɛ̃/

Meaning

  • masculine nounfir

Example

Nous achetons un sapin pour Noël.

We are buying a Christmas tree for Christmas.

Illustration for sapin (fir)

More examples

Nous décorons le sapin avec des guirlandes.

We decorate the fir tree with garlands.

Core concept

A dark green conifer narrowing toward its top, whether rooted in a forest or brought indoors for Christmas.

Common phrases

  • sapin de Noël

    Christmas tree

  • acheter un sapin

    buy a fir tree

  • sapin artificiel

    artificial fir tree

Similar words

arbre: A large plant with a trunk and branches that grows tall from the ground.
arbre de Noël: A tree displayed indoors or outside a home during Christmas.
pin: An evergreen tree with long needle-like leaves growing in bundles.

Definition in French

Arbre conifère du genre Abies, à aiguilles persistantes et à silhouette conique, souvent utilisé comme arbre de Noël.

Word origin

The word sapin developed in French from the Old French form sapin, whose older European origin is not securely established.

Usage tips

  • French pronounces sapin with a nasal final vowel, and the final n is not pronounced.

Other meanings

  • Christmas treenoun

Word lists with this word