French word

tapage

Pronunciation

IPA/tapaʒ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounracket

Example

Ils font un tapage toute la nuit.

They make a racket all night.

Illustration for tapage (racket)

More examples

Le tapage nocturne dérange tout l'immeuble.

Nighttime noise is disturbing the entire building.

Core concept

A public or domestic commotion that breaks into surrounding people's quiet.

Common phrases

  • faire du tapage

    make a racket

  • tapage nocturne

    nighttime noise

Similar words

bruit: A sound or noise made by a person or thing.
vacarme: Extremely loud, jarring noise or commotion.
chahut: A noisy, disorderly disturbance.
nuisance: An annoying condition or act that harms others' daily lives.

Definition in French

Nuisance sonore ou comportement bruyant qui gêne les voisins, notion employée aussi en contexte juridique pour les troubles nocturnes.

Word origin

Tapage was built in French from taper, 'to strike', and the suffix -age, with its sense extending from striking sounds to a disruptive commotion.

Usage tips

  • Tapage nocturne is a fixed legal and everyday phrase for disruptive nighttime noise, so nocturne follows the noun rather than preceding it.

Other meanings

  • noisenoun
  • commotionnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • tapageurnoisyadjective

Word lists with this word