buisson
/bɥi.sɔ̃/masculine
The English word bush is translated into French as buisson or arbrisseau.
Meaning: category of woody plant (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| buisson | /bɥi.sɔ̃/ | masculine |
| arbrisseau | /aʁ.bʁi.so/ | masculine |
Both terms refer to a category of woody plants.
Which one should you use?
buisson is the common word for a bush, whereas arbrisseau is a more technical or botanical term for a shrub. arbrisseau refers specifically to a small woody plant that is larger than a herb but smaller than a tree.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural of buisson, simply add an s to get buissons.
How do you pronounce it?
/bɥi.sɔ̃/ (2 syllables)
Did you know?
- In French folklore and history, the buisson ardent refers to the burning bush of the Bible. This specific phrase is used in art and literature to denote a divine revelation.
- The word buisson shares a common ancient ancestor with the English word 'bush'. Both originate from the Proto-Germanic word *buskaz, meaning 'thicket'.
- The word buisson is a diminutive of bois, which means 'wood'. This means that in French, a bush is literally seen as a 'little wood'.
Examples in context
- Tom se cacha derrière un buisson.Tom hid behind a bush.This sentence shows how to use buisson to describe hiding behind vegetation.Tatoeba #7373057 by tras, translation #7367749 by CK
- Je me suis tapi derrière le buisson.I crouched behind the bush.This sentence illustrates the use of buisson in the context of crouching behind a plant.Tatoeba #10647863 by lbdx, translation #8889531 by CK
- Il tira le soldat blessé jusqu’à un buisson à proximité.He pulled the wounded soldier to the nearby bush.This sentence demonstrates the use of buisson when describing moving someone toward nearby vegetation.Tatoeba #7669369 by tras, translation #303372 by CM
- Dans le jardin du château, il y a de beaux buissons fleuris.In the castle garden, there are beautiful blooming bushes.
- Nous avons fait une randonnée dans la brousse et découvert de magnifiques paysages.We went hiking in the bush and discovered magnificent landscapes.
- Il y avait un petit chemin à travers le fourré, donc nous avons pu avancer sans difficulté.There was a small path through the bush, so we could move forward easily.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are gardening in their backyard.
- EmmaRegarde ce beau buisson.Look at this beautiful bush.
- LucasIl est très grand, Emma.It is very big, Emma.
- EmmaOn doit tailler le buisson.We must prune the bush.
- LucasD'accord, je m'en occupe.Okay, I will take care of it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bush” translations and entries buisson, arbrisseau, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries arbrisseau, buisson, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
