émeu
/e.mø/masculine
The English word emu is translated into French as émeu.
The term refers to the bird species Dromaius novaehollandiae.
Meaning: Dromaius novaehollandiae (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /e.mø/.
Did you know?
- French speakers might use the word émeu in the context of la course de l'émeu when discussing the 'Emu War' of 1932 in Australia.
- The French word émeu is borrowed from the Portuguese word ema, reflecting the history of early European explorers documenting Australian fauna.
- While émeu describes the bird, French uses the term ratite to describe the broader group of flightless birds that includes the emu and the ostrich.
Examples in context
- L'émeu est un grand oiseau.The emu is a large bird.
- Il y a un émeu dans la réserve.There is an emu in the reserve.
- Cet émeu court très vite.This emu runs very fast.
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are watching a wildlife documentary on television.
- LucasRegarde cet émeu, il est immense !Look at that emu, it is huge!
- EmmaOui, l'émeu est vraiment impressionnant.Yes, the emu is truly impressive.
- LucasEst-ce qu'il peut voler ?Can it fly?
- EmmaNon, l'émeu ne vole pas.No, the emu does not fly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “emu” translations and entries émeu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
