articulation
/aʁ.ti.ky.la.sjɔ̃/feminine
The French word for joint (as a part of the body where bones join) is articulation. Wiktionary also lists jointure.
Meaning: part of the body where bones join (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| articulation | /aʁ.ti.ky.la.sjɔ̃/ | feminine |
| jointure | /ʒwɛ̃.tyʁ/ | feminine |
When referring to a biological joint, such as where bones meet, use articulation. In other contexts, French uses different specific terms: jonction describes the connection of two things, while soudure refers to a welded joint in engineering or construction.
Which one should you use?
articulation is used for anatomical joints in medical or scientific contexts. jointure is a much rarer, literary term that typically refers to a legal or architectural connection rather than a biological one.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Both articulation and jointure are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/aʁ.ti.ky.la.sjɔ̃/ (5 syllables)
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use the English word 'joint' as a French noun for a body part. In French, joint usually refers to a seal or a gasket in mechanics.
Did you know?
- Using the word joint in a casual French conversation often refers to a cannabis cigarette rather than a mechanical seal or a body part.
- The word articulation shares the same Latin root as the English 'article', as both relate to things being divided into distinct parts.
- While articulation means 'joint' in anatomy, in a linguistic or speech context it refers to the physical act of producing clear sounds with the mouth and tongue.
Examples in context
- L'ostéoporose empire avec le temps, cependant, elle peut être contrôlée afin que la progression de la maladie soit ralentie, ce qui aide l'articulation à fonctionner aussi bien que possible, aussi longtemps que possible.Osteoarthritis continues to get worse over time, however, it can be managed so that the progress of the disease is slowed down, helping the joint to work as well as possible for as long as possible.This sentence is useful for describing how managing osteoporosis can help the articulation function well.Tatoeba #13810008 by unetoilebrille, translation #10244391 by Hybrid
- J'ai une douleur à l'articulation du genouI have pain in the knee joint
- La jonction entre les deux tuyaux est solideThe joint between the two pipes is strong
- Cette soudure est excellenteThis weld joint is excellent
- Cette charnière est fragileThis joint is fragile
- On se retrouve ailleurs pour fumer un joint ?Shall we meet somewhere else to smoke a joint?
- Je vais rouler un pétardI'm going to roll a joint
- Ce pétard est vraiment bien roulé !This joint is rolled really well!
- L'articulation de mon genou est très douloureuse.The joint in my knee is very painful.
- Cette articulation permet une grande mobilité.This joint allows for great mobility.
Example conversation
Chloé and Lucas are at the gym.
- ChloéLucas, est-ce que ton articulation te fait mal ?Lucas, does your joint hurt?
- LucasOui, mon articulation est un peu raide aujourd'hui.Yes, my joint is a bit stiff today.
- ChloéTu devrais faire des étirements doucement.You should stretch gently.
- LucasC'est une bonne idée, merci Chloé.That is a good idea, thanks Chloé.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “joint” translations and entries articulation, jointure, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries articulation, jointure, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
