scarabée
/ska.ʁa.be/masculine
The French word for beetle is scarabée.
scarabée refers to a beetle. For a more technical or scientific context, the term Coléoptère is the most commonly used formal term for beetle in French.
Meaning: insect (noun)
Which one should you use?
While scarabée is the standard word, Coléoptère is used in formal settings and Bestiole is a colloquial term used to refer to various small insects, including beetles.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and is pronounced /ska.ʁa.be/.
Did you know?
- The name Coléoptère comes from the Greek words for 'sheath' and 'wing', describing how the beetle's hard wing covers act like a protective case.
- While scarabée describes the insect, the word scarabée is also used in French to describe the specific jewelry or amulets shaped like these insects.
- The word scarabée was borrowed into Middle French from the Latin scarabaeus, which originally came from the Ancient Greek kárabos.
Examples in context
- Les coléoptères sont un groupe d'insectes qui présentent une grande diversité de formes.Beetles are a group of insects that exhibit a great diversity of forms.
- Le scarabée est un symbole religieux important dans certaines cultures anciennes.The beetle is an important religious symbol in some ancient cultures.
- Le scarabée marche sur la feuille.The beetle walks on the leaf.
- J'ai vu un gros scarabée dans le jardin.I saw a large beetle in the garden.
- Le scarabée est monté sur la feuille.The beetle climbed onto the leaf.
- Ce scarabée a une carapace très dure.This beetle has a very hard shell.
Example conversation
Chloé and Lucas are walking in a park.
- ChloéLucas, regarde ce scarabée par ici !Lucas, look at this beetle over here!
- LucasOh, il est vraiment magnifique.Oh, it is really magnificent.
- ChloéJe me demande d'où il vient.I wonder where it comes from.
- LucasIl doit vivre dans cette forêt.It must live in this forest.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beetle” translations and entries scarabée, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries scarabée, CC BY-SA 4.0.
