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nounnoun

la barbe

beard

C'est les poils qui poussent sur le menton et autour de la bouche chez certaines personnes.

Definition & meaning

The word barbe refers to the hair that grows on the chin and lower cheeks of a person's face. Depending on the context, it can have several nuances:

  1. Facial hair: The physical growth of hair on a man's face.
  2. Figurative/Colloquial: In French, the expression "avoir la barbe" or "quelle barbe!" is used to describe something that is extremely boring, tedious, or tiresome.
  3. Biological: In botany or zoology, it can refer to beard-like structures on plants (such as on barley or wheat) or animals (like the chin tuft of a goat).

Grammar & Word origin

  • Grammar: It is a feminine noun (la barbe).
  • Origin: The word comes from the Latin barba, meaning beard.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms:

  • Système pileux [?](vocabuo://word/système pileux) (referring to facial hair in a more technical way).
  • Bouc (specifically referring to a goatee).
  • Ennui (used when referring to the figurative meaning of something being boring).
  • Fastidieux (adjective used to describe something that is a "barbe").

Antonyms:

  • Rasé (referring to someone who is clean-shaven).
  • Intérêt (as an antonym to the figurative sense of boredom).

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Examples

Papa a une barbe noire.noun

Dad has a black beard.

Ma barbe était très courte hier.noun

My beard was very short yesterday.

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