noun

la fuite

leak

C'est quand un liquide ou un gaz sort d'un endroit où il devrait rester, comme de l'eau qui coule d'un tuyau percé.

Definition & meaning

The French word fuite primarily refers to the act of escaping or leaving a place, often in a hurry or in secret. It also commonly refers to the unintended escape of a substance (like liquid, gas, or data) from a container or system.

Escape or flight: The act of running away from a situation, a person, or a place. For example, a prisoner escaping from jail or someone fleeing a dangerous situation.
Leakage: The physical process where a liquid, gas, or electricity escapes through a hole or crack.
Data/Information leak: In a metaphorical or modern context, it refers to the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information (e.g., a "leak" of documents).

Grammar & Word origin

Grammar:

fuite is a feminine noun.
It is the noun form derived from the verb fuir (to flee/to leak).

Word origin:

The word comes from the Old French fuite, which originated from the Latin fugita, the past participle of fugere, meaning "to flee" or "to run away."

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms:

Évasion (referring specifically to breaking out of confinement).
Écoulement (referring to the flow or leakage of liquid).
Départ (in the context of leaving).
Dilatation (in specific technical contexts of leaks).

Antonyms:

Arrivée (the act of arriving).
Capture (being caught).
Étanchéité (the state of being watertight or airtight, which is the direct opposite of having a leak).