noun

la phrase

sentence

C’est un groupe de mots qui forment une idée ou un message complet.

Definition & meaning

Phrase is a feminine French noun, usually meaning “sentence”: a group of words that expresses a complete thought. In French grammar, it can refer to a sentence whether it is declarative, interrogative, imperative, or exclamatory.

It can also mean “expression,” “wording,” or “formulation”—the particular way an idea is expressed. In music, a phrase is a short, coherent musical passage.

Unlike English phrase, which often means a group of words that is not a complete sentence, French phrase commonly means a complete sentence.

Grammar & Word origin

Gender: feminine (une phrase)
Plural: des phrases
Pronunciation: /fʁaz/
The word comes through Latin from Greek phrasis, meaning “expression” or “way of speaking.” It is not formed from smaller parts in modern French.

Synonyms & antonyms

The best synonym depends on the meaning:

Sentence: énoncé can mean any utterance, so it does not necessarily imply a complete grammatical sentence. Proposition is more specifically a grammatical clause.
Expression or wording: formulation , expression , and tournure [?](vocabuo://word/tournure] refer to how something is put into words; formule can suggest a set or conventional expression.

There is no single direct antonym. In a grammatical context, fragment can describe an incomplete group of words, in contrast with a complete sentence.