boule à facettes
/bul a fa.sɛt/feminine
The English phrase 'disco ball' in French is boule à facettes. Wiktionary also lists boule disco.
Meaning: mirrored sphere (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| boule à facettes | /bul a fa.sɛt/ | feminine |
| boule disco | /bul dis.ko/ | feminine |
The term refers to a mirrored sphere.
What does it mean word for word?
The term boule à facettes literally translates to 'ball with facets', referring to the many flat surfaces that reflect light.
Which one should you use?
boule à facettes is the standard, descriptive term, while boule disco is a more colloquial and direct way to refer to the object.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, people commonly refer to a disco ball as boule disco or as boule à miroirs.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because boule is a feminine noun, you must use the feminine indefinite article une when referring to a single disco ball, such as in une boule à facettes.
Did you know?
- In some French-speaking contexts, using the word boule by itself can be quite vulgar, as it is a slang term for 'buttocks' in Romani-influenced French.
- While boule à facettes is descriptive, the word facettes is also used in French to describe the different 'sides' or 'aspects' of a person's character.
- The word boule can be traced back to the Frankish word *bollā, which referred to things as diverse as a bun or a cup.
Examples in context
- La boule disco illumine la piste de danse.The disco ball illuminates the dance floor.
- Nous avons installé une boule à facettes pour la fête.We have set up a disco ball for the party.
- Elle a dansé sous les lumières de la boule disco.She danced under the lights of the disco ball.
- Il y avait une véritable ambiance disco avec la boule à facettes qui tournait au centre de la piste.There was a real disco atmosphere with the spinning disco ball at the center of the dance floor.
- On a accroché une boule à facettes au plafond.They hung a disco ball from the ceiling.
- Il y a une vieille boule à facettes dans le grenier.There is an old disco ball in the attic.
- Elle a acheté une petite boule à facettes pour la fête.She bought a small disco ball for the party.
Example conversation
Lucas and Chloé are decorating a room for a party.
- LucasOù est la boule à facettes pour le salon ?Where is the disco ball for the living room?
- ChloéJe l'ai posée sur la table, Lucas.I put it on the table, Lucas.
- LucasMerci, elle est magnifique !Thanks, it is beautiful!
- ChloéElle va illuminer toute la pièce.It is going to light up the whole room.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “disco ball” translations and entries boule à facettes, boule disco, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries boule, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
