French Conversation · Level 95
60 words
French word
usure
Pronunciation
IPA/yzyʁ/
Meaning
- feminine nounwear
Example
On voit l'usure sur la semelle de ces chaussures.
You can see the wear on the soles of these shoes.
More examples
L'usure des pneus augmente le risque d'accident.
Tire wear increases the risk of an accident.
Core concept
Repeated contact gradually removes a material's outer layer and leaves it visibly worn and less effective.
Common phrases
usure des pneus
tire wear
usure naturelle
natural wear
Similar words
détérioration: Progressive damage that impairs an object's original condition.
dégradation: Worsening quality or condition that lowers value or effectiveness.
vieillissement: Gradual decline in appearance or performance as time passes.
abrasion: The wearing away of surface material through repeated rubbing.
Definition in French
Altération matérielle causée par l'usage répété ou le frottement, conduisant à un aspect usé et à une perte de fonction.
Word origin
The noun usure is inherited through Old French from Latin ūsūra, whose sense of use gave rise to the French idea of damage caused by use.
Usage tips
- French pronounces usure roughly as /yzyʁ/, with the first two vowels like the French u and the final r pronounced in the throat.
Other meanings
- usurynoun
Opposites
- durabilitédurabilitynoun
- préservationpreservationnoun