French word

villa

Pronunciation

IPA/vila/

Meaning

  • feminine nounvilla

Example

Nous avons loué une villa pour les vacances.

We rented a villa for our vacation.

Illustration for villa (villa)

More examples

Il rêve d'acheter une villa près de la mer.

He dreams of buying a villa near the sea.

Core concept

An independent house on a generous plot, ranging from a holiday residence to a more luxurious home.

Common phrases

  • réserver une villa

    book a villa

  • acheter une villa

    buy a villa

  • une villa de campagne

    country villa

  • vivre dans une villa

    live in a villa

Similar words

maison: An ordinary house where people live.
appartement: A private living space within a larger building.
pavillon: A detached house with a garden.
bungalow: A wide, single-story house.

Definition in French

Grande maison individuelle, fréquemment destinée au séjour secondaire ou aux loisirs, parfois de standing supérieur.

Word origin

Latin villa originally denoted a farm or country estate, and the word reached French through Italian with its later house-related sense.

Usage tips

  • Villa can describe a permanent residence as well as a holiday property, so maison de vacances is needed when the holiday use must be explicit.

Other meanings

  • country housenoun
  • mansionnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word