émoussé
/e.mu.se/
The English word 'blunt' translates to French as émoussé.
émoussé is used to describe an object that has lost its sharpness or edge, such as a knife or a weapon. It can also be used figuratively to describe something that is plain or unceremonious.
Meaning: abrupt in address, plain, unceremonious (adj)
Which one should you use?
When referring to a blade or a cutting tool, the opposite of émoussé is tranchant (sharp).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the adjective changes to agree with the noun it describes: émoussée is the feminine singular form, émoussés is the masculine plural form and émoussées is the feminine plural form.
How do you pronounce it?
/e.mu.se/ (3 syllables)
When do people say it?
To convey the idea of being straightforward or avoiding unnecessary complexity, one might use the informal expression Pas de détours, which literally means 'no detours'.
Did you know?
- If you are describing a person who is 'blunt' in a rude or insensitive way, you might call them brut de décoffrage, which literally translates to 'raw from the casting mold'.
- The term émoussé is used in French psychology and medicine to describe 'blunted affect', where a patient shows little emotional responsiveness. In this context, it refers to a flattening of the human psyche rather than a physical edge.
- The word émoussé comes from the root mous, which describes something soft or limp. To say a knife is 'blunt' in French is etymologically to say it has become 'soft'.
Examples in context
- Le couteau est émoussé.The knife is blunt.This sentence shows how to describe a knife that is not sharp using émoussé.Tatoeba #6463238 by Aiji, translation #11879145 by sundown
- Il a été tué par une arme émoussée.He was killed by a blunt weapon.This sentence demonstrates the use of émoussé in the context of a weapon.Tatoeba #1684685 by sacredceltic, translation #1683005 by Spamster
- Mon épée peut être émoussée, mais c'est plus qu'il n'en faut pour quelqu'un comme toi.My sword may be blunt, but that's more than enough for someone like you.This sentence uses émoussé to describe a sword.Tatoeba #498429 by qdii, translation #498428 by FeuDRenais
- Elle est très directeShe is very blunt
- Il est connu pour être francHe is known for being blunt
- Il m'a parlé direct et sans détourHe spoke to me bluntly and without detour
- Elle n'y est pas allée par quatre cheminsShe didn't beat around the bush
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are discussing a coworker's rude behavior.
- LéaSon ton était vraiment trop émoussé aujourd'hui.His tone was really too blunt today.
- NathanC'est vrai, il ne fait pas attention.That's true, he doesn't pay attention.
- LéaIl est émoussé avec tout le monde.He is blunt with everyone.
- NathanLéa, tu es trop sensible avec lui.Léa, you are too sensitive with him.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry émoussé, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries émoussé, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
