nounnounnoun
le voleur
thief
Definition & meaning
The French word voleur (masculine) or voleuse (feminine) refers to a person who steals; a thief or burglar.
- General sense: Someone who takes the property of others without permission or legal right.
- Figurative sense: Someone who "steals" or takes away something abstract, such as time (un voleur de temps) or someone who is particularly skilled at capturing attention.
Grammar & Word origin
- Grammar: It is a noun. It is derived from the verb voler (to steal or to fly). In French, voler has two meanings based on its etymology:
- From Latin volare (to fly).
- From Old French voler (to pillage/steal), likely related to the behavior of birds of prey or the idea of "taking away."
- Gender: Masculine: voleur; Feminine: voleuse.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- Cambrioleur (burglar)
- Larron (thief/crook, often used in older contexts)
- Filou (swindler/trickster)
- Pillard (looter)
- Brigand (bandit)
Antonyms:
Make “voleur” part of your vocabulary.
Build your French vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.
Examples
Le voleur court rapidement.noun
The thief runs quickly.
Keep exploring French
Learn words from the content you love.
Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).
Scan for iPhone & iPad