French Conversation · Level 44
75 words
French word
vapeur
Pronunciation
IPA/vapœʁ/
Meaning
- feminine nounsteam
Example
La vapeur s'échappe de la bouilloire.
Steam escapes from the kettle.
More examples
De la vapeur monte du bol après la cuisson.
Steam rises from the bowl after cooking.
Core concept
A warm, rising veil formed when heated water becomes gaseous.
Common phrases
jet de vapeur
jet of steam
machine à vapeur
steam engine
cuisson à la vapeur
steam cooking
Similar words
fumée: Sooty gases and particles released by burning, often appearing dark.
buée: A thin film of water droplets formed on glass or mirrors by breath or temperature changes.
brouillard: A cloud of tiny water droplets near the ground that can reduce visibility.
gaz: A substance that exists in a gaseous state at ordinary temperatures.
Definition in French
État gazeux de l'eau résultant de l'évaporation ou de l'ébullition, parfois visible sous forme de nuage chaud.
Word origin
Vapeur is inherited from Latin vapor via Old French rather than formed from a modern French compound.
Usage tips
- In everyday French, visible vapeur is often condensed droplets in air, so the word can describe the cloud even though the gas itself is invisible.