French word

scarabée

Pronunciation

IPA/skaʁabe/

Meaning

  • masculine nounbeetle

Example

Il y a un scarabée sur la table.

There is a beetle on the table.

Illustration for scarabée (beetle)

More examples

J'ai trouvé un scarabée dans le jardin.

I found a scarab beetle in the garden.

Core concept

A small oval beetle with a hard wing case that may shine with a metallic color.

Common phrases

  • un scarabée

    a scarab beetle

  • un scarabée dans le jardin

    a scarab beetle in the garden

Similar words

insecte: A general term for six-legged insects of many shapes and sizes.

Definition in French

Petit coléoptère au corps souvent ovoïde, recouvert d'élytres rigides parfois brillants.

Word origin

The French noun scarabée came through Old French from Latin scarabaeus, ultimately from Greek skarabaîos, first naming a particular beetle before becoming more general.

Usage tips

  • Scarabée is masculine, so the usual phrase is un scarabée, with the article un rather than une.

Other meanings

  • dung beetlenoun
  • scarabnoun

Word lists with this word