French word

toux

Pronunciation

IPA/tu/

Meaning

  • feminine nouncough

Example

J'ai une toux depuis hier.

I've had a cough since yesterday.

Illustration for toux (cough)

More examples

Le sirop a calmé la toux.

The syrup calmed the cough.

Core concept

A short, abrupt expulsion of air from irritated airways.

Common phrases

  • avoir la toux

    have a cough

  • toux sèche

    dry cough

  • crise de toux

    coughing fit

Similar words

bronchite: An inflammation of the bronchial lining that causes a lingering cough and phlegm.
rhume: A common cold causing a runny nose and sneezing from inflamed nasal or throat lining.
asthme: A disease that narrows sensitive airways, causing breathlessness and wheezing attacks.
fièvre: A rise in body temperature indicating infection or inflammation.

Definition in French

Symptôme caractérisé par une ou plusieurs expulsions d'air brusques de la bouche et de la gorge, signalant une irritation des voies aériennes.

Word origin

French toux descends from Latin tussis through Old French forms and is related to the verb tousser.

Usage tips

  • Toux is feminine, so the usual indefinite phrase is une toux.

Related words

  • toussercoughverb
  • toussotercough lightlyverb
  • toussotementlight coughingnoun

Word lists with this word