French Conversation · Level 162
30 words
French word
sordide
Pronunciation
IPA/sɔʁdid/
Meaning
- adjectiveshabby
Example
Il vit dans un appartement sordide.
He lives in a shabby apartment.
More examples
La chambre était sordide.
The room was shabby.
Core concept
A run-down place or living situation marked by dirt, neglect, and severe poverty.
Common phrases
appartement sordide
shabby apartment
immeuble sordide
shabby building
chambre sordide
shabby room
Similar words
sale: Unclean or covered in dirt.
dégradé: Worn or damaged so that its appearance or condition has worsened.
négligé: Poorly maintained and disorderly.
misérable: Extremely poor in condition or quality, and pitiful in appearance.
Definition in French
Qui décrit un état matériel misérable, sale ou très dégradé, souvent employé pour un logement, un quartier ou une situation de pauvreté.
Word origin
The Latin adjective sordidus passed into French as sordide, retaining the idea of dirt and developing the broader sense of a deeply degraded condition.
Usage tips
- Unlike English sordid, which commonly suggests immoral behavior, French sordide most directly describes dirty or severely degraded material conditions in this use.