nounadjectiveverb

la surprise

surprise

C'est un sentiment que l'on ressent quand quelque chose arrive sans qu'on s'y attende.

Word: surprise

Language: French

Meaning:

Surprise (noun, feminine)
The word surprise in French means the same as in English: an unexpected event or thing that causes wonder or astonishment.
Example:
La fête était une surprise pour son anniversaire.
(The party was a surprise for his/her birthday.)
Surprise (verb, "surprendre")
The verb form related to surprise is surprendre, meaning "to surprise" or "to catch off guard." The noun surprise comes from this verb.

Parts:

Prefix: "sur-" means "over" or "above"
Root: "prise" from the verb prendre meaning "to take"

So literally, surprise means "taken over" or "taken unexpectedly."

Synonyms:

étonnement (astonishment)
stupeur (amazement)
choc (shock)

Antonyms:

prévu(e) (expected)
ordinaire (ordinary)
habituel(le) (usual)

Summary:

Surprise in French, like in English, refers to something unexpected or startling. It denotes both the feeling and the event that causes that feeling. Its root parts suggest being caught or taken unexpectedly.