ourson
/uʁ.sɔ̃/masculine
The French word for "bear cub" is ourson.
ourson is a masculine noun used to refer to a young bear.
Meaning: young bear (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a diminutive formed from ours (bear) and the suffix -on (small/little), meaning "little bear".
How does it change in a sentence?
While ourson is the masculine form, the feminine form for a female bear cub is oursonne.
How do you pronounce it?
/uʁ.sɔ̃/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- In French culture, the ourson is often used as a term of endearment for a romantic partner or a child, similar to calling someone 'honey' or 'sweetie' in English.
- In French, calling someone an ours is a common way to describe a person who is gruff, unsociable, or grumpy.
- The root word ours is a distant relative of the English word 'ursine', which is used in scientific contexts.
Examples in context
- L'ourson apprend à marcher.The bear cub is just learning to walk.This sentence shows how to use ourson to describe a young bear learning to walk.Tatoeba #6331235 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #6331210 by OsoHombre
- L'ourson joue dans l'herbe.The bear cub is playing in the grass.
- Nous avons vu un petit ourson.We saw a little bear cub.
Example conversation
A woman and a man are looking at a nature documentary on TV.
- GabrielRegarde cet adorable ourson !Look at that adorable bear cub!
- ChloéOh, il est tellement mignon, Gabriel.Oh, he is so cute, Gabriel.
- GabrielSa maman est juste derrière lui.His mother is right behind him.
- ChloéC'est une scène très touchante.It is a very touching scene.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bear cub” translations and entries ourson, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ourson, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
