French word

torpille

Pronunciation

IPA/tɔʁpij/

Meaning

  • feminine nountorpedo

Example

Il a trouvé une vieille torpille sur la plage.

He found an old torpedo on the beach.

Illustration for torpille (torpedo)

More examples

Les plongeurs ont découvert une torpille immergée près du récif.

The divers discovered a submerged torpedo near the reef.

Core concept

A long cylindrical weapon that travels beneath the surface under its own power and damages a ship by exploding.

Common phrases

  • découvrir une torpille

    discover a torpedo

  • une torpille immergée

    a submerged torpedo

Similar words

missile: A weapon launched through the air that explodes upon striking its target.
bombe: An explosive device that causes damage across a wide area.
mine: A hidden explosive placed underwater or on land that detonates on contact or when approached.

Definition in French

Projectile explosif, de forme allongée et cylindrique, propulsé sous l'eau pour atteindre et endommager un navire.

Word origin

French torpille preserves the name of the electric ray in Latin torpedo and extended that name to the modern weapon during the nineteenth century.

Usage tips

  • The related verb torpiller often means to derail or sabotage a plan, so it has a common figurative use beyond literal torpedoes.

Other meanings

  • electric raynoun

Related words

  • torpillertorpedoverb

Word lists with this word