le nuage
cloud
C'est une masse blanche ou grise dans le ciel, faite de petites gouttes d'eau ou de glace.
The French word "nuage" means "cloud" in English.
Meaning:
- It refers to the visible masses of condensed water vapor floating in the sky.
- Can be used literally (the fluffy shapes you see in the sky).
- Sometimes used metaphorically to describe something vague, unclear, or a mental fog (e.g., "un nuage de tristesse" — a cloud of sadness).
Synonyms and differences:
- Nuage: The standard word for cloud; used both literally to talk about clouds in the sky and metaphorically.
- Flocon: Means "flake," usually used for snowflake, so not interchangeable.
- Brume: Means "mist" or "haze," which is a thin cloud near the ground, but different from a "nuage" high in the sky.
- Brouillard: Means "fog," a thick mist near the surface causing low visibility. More dense and at ground level compared to "nuage."
In summary, "nuage" precisely denotes clouds as seen floating in the sky. Other terms like "brume" and "brouillard" relate to atmospheric water vapor but describe different phenomena involving moisture and visibility.
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Examples
Un nuage blanc est dans le ciel.noun
A white cloud is in the sky.
Un nuage cache le soleil.noun
A cloud is hiding the sun.
Les nuages avancent lentement dans le ciel gris.noun
The clouds move slowly in the gray sky.
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