noun
le pli
fold
C’est une marque ou une ligne qui se forme quand on plie quelque chose, comme du papier ou du tissu.
Definition & meaning
The French word pli has several related meanings depending on the context:
- Fold or crease: A mark or ridge left on a material (like paper, fabric, or skin) when it is bent or pressed over on itself.
- Pleat: A double or multiple fold in a piece of cloth, often sewn in place to provide extra fullness or a decorative effect, commonly seen in skirts or curtains.
- Envelope or postal packet: A formal or administrative term for a letter or a small package sent through the mail.
- Bend or flex: In anatomical terms, it can refer to a fold in the body, such as behind the knee or the elbow.
- Habit or routine: Used figuratively in the expression "prendre le pli," meaning to get used to something, to acquire a habit, or to get into the swing of things.
Grammar & Word origin
- Grammar: It is a masculine noun (un pli).
- Word origin: It comes from the Old French ploi, derived from the Latin plicare, which means "to fold." This Latin root is also the ancestor of English words like "ply" or "replicate."
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- Repli pli (a fold or withdrawal)
- Plissement pli (the act of folding or wrinkling)
- Pliure pli (a crease or folding line)
- Pliage pli (the action of folding)
- Lettre pli (in the sense of a postal delivery)
Antonyms:
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Examples
Elle fait un pli dans la serviette.noun
She makes a fold in the napkin.
Ce pli ressemble à une vague.noun
This fold looks like a wave.
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