la armée
army
Groupe de personnes qui protègent un pays et qui utilisent des armes pour défendre ou attaquer.
Definition & meaning
Armée means army: an organized military force, especially one that fights on land. It can also refer more broadly to a country’s armed forces.
Figuratively, it can mean a large, organized group of people: une armée de bénévoles means “an army of volunteers.”
It is also the feminine form of the adjective and past participle armé , meaning armed or equipped: une femme armée means “an armed woman.”
Grammar & Word origin
- Noun: feminine; une armée means “an army.” The plural is armées.
- Adjective or past participle: feminine singular of armé , from the verb armer , “to arm.”
- The word ultimately comes from Latin armare, “to equip with weapons.”
Synonyms & antonyms
- troupes — “troops”; emphasizes the soldiers rather than the army as an institution.
- forces armées — “armed forces”; usually includes all military branches, not just the army.
- foule — “crowd”; can resemble the figurative sense of a large group, but does not imply organization.
There is no direct antonym for the noun. As an adjective, armée contrasts with désarmée , “unarmed” or “disarmed.”
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Cette armée protège le pays.noun
This army protects the country.
L'armée aide les populations en difficulté.noun
The army helps people in difficulty.
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