brosse en poils
The English phrase "bristle brush" is translated into French as brosse en poils.
This phrase refers to a brush characterized by having stiff fibers, which may be made from animal hair or synthetic materials.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, brosse à soies can be used as an alternative to brosse à poils.
Did you know?
- French distinguishes between brosse for a stiff brush and pinceau for a soft paintbrush. You would never use brosse en poils to describe an artist's brush.
- The term brosse likely comes from words for 'brushwood' or 'underbrush' rather than 'bristle'. This means the French word for the tool originally described the wild shrubs it resembled.
- The word poils usually means 'hair' on an animal's body or 'body hair' on a human. Using it in brosse en poils highlights that the bristles are viewed as animal-like hair.
Examples in context
- Cette brosse en poils est très douce.This bristle brush is very soft.
- Il utilise une brosse en poils synthétiques.He uses a synthetic bristle brush.
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are cleaning their kitchen together.
- LéaNathan, où est la brosse en poils ?Nathan, where is the bristle brush?
- NathanElle est sous l'évier, Léa.It is under the sink, Léa.
- LéaMerci, je vais frotter le sol.Thanks, I am going to scrub the floor.
- NathanD'accord, je m'occupe des tables.Okay, I'll take care of the tables.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries brosse, en, CC BY-SA 4.0.
