French word

vitrail

Pronunciation

IPA/vitʁaj/

Meaning

  • masculine nounstained-glass window

Example

Regarde le vitrail, il est très coloré.

Look at the stained-glass window; it is very colorful.

Illustration for vitrail (stained-glass window)

More examples

Le vitrail de la cathédrale est remarquable.

The cathedral's stained glass is remarkable.

Core concept

A luminous window image made from colored glass pieces separated by dark lead lines.

Common phrases

  • vitrail coloré

    colored stained glass

  • vitrail d'église

    church stained glass

  • atelier de vitrail

    stained-glass workshop

Similar words

verre: A hard, transparent or translucent material used for windows and drinking vessels.
fenêtre: An opening in a building wall fitted with glass to admit light or air.
vitrine: A glass-fronted display area where a shop presents its products.

Definition in French

élément décoratif constitué de verres colorés maintenus par une armature de plomb, placé dans une fenêtre ou un panneau pour former des scènes ou des motifs.

Word origin

French vitrail comes through Old French vitrail from Latin vitrum, "glass", referring to the material used in the work.

Usage tips

  • Vitrail is masculine, so standard singular usage is un vitrail, with plural vitraux rather than vitrails.

Related words

  • vitraillistestained-glass artistnoun
  • vitrailléadorned with stained glassadjective

Word lists with this word