nœud papillon
A bow tie in French is nœud papillon.
The standard way to say bow tie in French is nœud papillon.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of nœud (knot) and papillon (butterfly).
How does it change in a sentence?
In the plural form, both nœud and papillon take an s.
Did you know?
- In French culture, the nœud papillon is often associated with 'le look geek' or intellectual eccentricity, whereas a standard tie is seen as purely corporate.
- The word nœud is a linguistic relative of the English word 'knout', which refers to a heavy leather whip.
Examples in context
- Il porte un nœud papillon au quotidien.He wears a bow tie every day.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use nœud papillon when describing something worn every day.Tatoeba #1670146 by sacredceltic, translation #1665905 by Spamster
- Ce nœud papillon bleu ne va pas avec le costume.This blue bow tie doesn't go with the suit.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use nœud papillon when describing a specific color and its compatibility with clothing.Tatoeba #13909060 by Ioan_Cristian, translation #13909061 by Ioan_Cristian
- Je porte un nœud papillon ce soir.I'm wearing a bow tie tonight.
- Il cherche un nœud papillon pour le mariage.He is looking for a bow tie for the wedding.
Example conversation
Hugo is getting ready for a wedding.
- HugoEst-ce que je dois mettre un nœud papillon ?Should I wear a bow tie?
- EmmaOui, Hugo, c'est plus élégant.Yes, Hugo, it is more elegant.
- HugoJe ne sais pas nouer ce nœud papillon.I don't know how to tie this bow tie.
- EmmaJe vais t'aider, Emma peut le faire.I will help you, Emma can do it.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nœud, papillon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
