griffes
The French word for claws is griffes.
griffes refers to the sharp, curved nails found on the ends of an animal's toes. Beyond this literal biological meaning, the term is used metaphorically in French to describe a 'grip' or 'hold' on something, such as a political or economic grip.
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between biological structures: use griffes for the sharp claws of animals, but use ongles when referring to human fingernails or toenails.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form is griffe, which means a single claw.
Did you know?
- In the world of high fashion, a griffe is the official signature or label of a couturier sewn into a piece of clothing.
- If you describe someone's handwriting as a griffe, you are suggesting it is jagged and illegible, as if a claw had scratched the paper.
- Beyond animals, a griffe is a specialized engraving tool used by artists to scratch designs into wood or metal.
Examples in context
- Le chat a rentré ses griffes.The cat retracted its claws.This sentence shows how to use the form griffes to describe a cat retracting its claws.Tatoeba #8898791 by lbdx, translation #282031 by CK
- Le chat planta ses griffes dans ma main.The cat dug its claws into my hand.This sentence demonstrates the use of griffes to show an animal digging its claws into something.Tatoeba #1367540 by sacredceltic, translation #282010 by CK
- L'aigle survole, plonge et avec ses griffes capture un petit animal, puis revient dans le ciel.From high above, the eagle dives toward its prey, captures it with its claws, and flies back into the sky.This sentence illustrates how an eagle uses its griffes to capture prey.Tatoeba #10104400 by carlosalberto, translation #10104363 by carlosalberto
- Les lions ont des griffes puissantesLions have powerful claws
- Le chat aiguise ses onglesThe cat sharpens its claws
- Le chien a des pattes avec des griffes acéréesThe dog has paws with sharp claws
- Mon chat a de grandes griffes pour chasser les sourisMy cat has big claws to hunt mice
- Attention à ne pas te faire griffer par ses griffes acérées !Be careful not to get scratched by its sharp claws!
- Les serres du rapace sont impressionnantesThe bird of prey's claws are impressive
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Nathan are looking at a picture of a leopard.
- ManonRegarde la taille de ses griffes !Look at the size of its claws!
- NathanOui, elles ont l'air très pointues.Yes, they look very sharp.
- ManonIl peut grimper très vite avec ses griffes.He can climb very quickly with his claws.
- NathanC'est impressionnant, Nathan trouve ça fascinant.It's impressive, Nathan finds it fascinating.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
