French word

sauvage

Pronunciation

IPA/sovaʒ/

Meaning

  • adjectivewild

Example

J'ai vu un renard sauvage près du champ.

I saw a wild fox near the field.

Illustration for sauvage (wild)

More examples

On a cueilli des plantes sauvages au bord de la rivière.

We picked wild plants along the river.

Core concept

A fox, flower, or landscape left to natural life rather than shaped or managed by people.

Common phrases

  • animal sauvage

    wild animal

  • plante sauvage

    wild plant

  • faune sauvage

    wildlife

Similar words

domestique: Kept by people or cared for in a home.
indompté: Unable to be trained or tamed and difficult to control.

Definition in French

Qui vit ou pousse à l'état naturel, non domestiqué ni cultivé par l'homme ; s'emploie surtout pour des animaux, des plantes et des lieux.

Word origin

The French adjective developed from Old French sauvage, which derives from Latin silvaticus, meaning 'of the woods' from silva, 'forest'.

Usage tips

  • With a person, sauvage can suggest uncivilized or rough behavior and may sound insulting, unlike its neutral use for wildlife and landscapes.

Other meanings

  • savageadjective
  • fierceadjective

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word