le briquet
lighter
C'est un petit objet qui sert à faire du feu pour allumer une cigarette ou une bougie.
Definition & meaning
The word briquet primarily refers to a portable device used to create a flame, commonly known in English as a lighter. It is typically used for lighting cigarettes, candles, or a stove.
Historically, the term also referred to a steel tool used in conjunction with a flint (a piece of silex) to produce sparks for starting a fire.
In a figurative or military sense, the term briquet was also historically used to describe a short, curved infantry saber or sword used by soldiers in the 18th and 19th centuries, named so because of its resemblance to the curved shape of a fire-striking tool.
Grammar & Word origin
The word is a masculine noun.
It originates from the Middle French word brique, which meant a fragment or a piece (of steel in this context). The suffix -et is a diminutive, suggesting a "small piece" or a small tool for striking fire.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- allume-feu (general term for fire starters)
- flamme (referring to the flame itself)
- sabre (when referring to the historical sword)
Antonyms:
There are no direct antonyms for the device itself. However, in the context of creating a fire, one might contrast it with:
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Examples
Je prends mon briquet dans la poche.noun
I take my lighter from my pocket.
Où est mon briquet ? Je l’ai posé sur la table hier soir.noun
Where is my lighter? I put it on the table last night.
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