noun

la patte

paw

C'est un membre d'un animal qui lui permet de marcher ou de courir.

Definition & meaning

The word patte primarily refers to the foot or leg of an animal, especially those that have claws or fur, such as dogs, cats, or birds. Unlike the word pied, which is used for humans or larger hoofed animals, patte is the standard term for most small to medium-sized mammals and insects.

Beyond its basic biological meaning, it has several other uses:

Furniture: It describes the leg of a piece of furniture, particularly if it is curved or decorative, like those on an antique table or chair.
Human Anatomy (Informal): In a colloquial or sometimes derogatory sense, it can refer to a human hand or leg. For example, "Bas les pattes !" means "Hands off!"
Style and Art: Figuratively, it refers to the unique "touch" or style of an artist, writer, or creator. If someone recognizes a painter's work immediately, they might say they recognize the artist's patte.
Clothing: In sewing, it refers to a small flap of fabric, such as a tab on a shoulder or a pocket (e.g., a patte de boutonnage or buttoning tab).

Grammar & Word origin

Patte is a feminine noun (la patte, une patte). In the plural, it becomes les pattes.

The word originates from the Old French word pate, which likely stems from a Gallo-Roman root pauta. This root is thought to be of Celtic origin or possibly an onomatopoeia mimicking the sound of a soft foot hitting the ground. It is related to the word patiner, which originally meant to paw at something or move clumsily.