French word

seuil

Pronunciation

IPA/sœj/

Meaning

  • masculine nounthreshold

Example

Il a trébuché sur le seuil de la porte.

He tripped on the doorway threshold.

Illustration for seuil (threshold)

More examples

Elle a hésité avant de franchir le seuil de sa nouvelle maison.

She hesitated before crossing the threshold of her new home.

Core concept

A low strip at an opening marks the passage from one side or state to another.

Common phrases

  • franchir le seuil

    cross the threshold

  • le seuil de la porte

    the doorway threshold

Similar words

marche: One of the individual steps that make up a staircase.
pas: A single movement of putting one foot forward.
entrée: The opening or place used to enter a building or room.
palier: A flat landing partway up a staircase.

Definition in French

Partie basse d'une ouverture (porte, fenêtre) sur laquelle on marche en entrant ou en sortant ; par extension, limite matérielle ou symbolique séparant deux lieux ou deux états.

Word origin

French seuil comes through Old French sueil and seil from Latin solea, meaning the sole of the foot or shoe.

Usage tips

  • Seuil is masculine, so the usual form is le seuil, and the phrase au seuil de introduces a place or a new stage.

Other meanings

  • sillnoun
  • boundarynoun

Word lists with this word