genièvre
/ʒə.njɛvʁ/
The English word 'juniper' is translated into French as genièvre.
The term genièvre refers to a shrub or tree belonging to the genus Juniperus.
Meaning: shrub or tree of the genus Juniperus (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word consists of 2 syllables. The pronunciation is /ʒə.njɛvʁ/.
Did you know?
- In France, genièvre is also the name for a traditional spirit distilled from juniper berries, similar to Dutch genever or English gin.
- If you are looking for the actual tree in a French botanical guide, you should search for genévrier instead of genièvre. The addition of the suffix '-ier' specifically denotes the woody plant itself.
- The English word 'juniper' and the French genièvre are distant linguistic cousins, both descending from the Latin 'iūniperus'.
Examples in context
- Le genévrier est une plante commune dans les régions montagneuses.Juniper is a common plant in mountainous regions.
- Les genévriers poussent abondamment dans cette région.Juniper trees grow abundantly in this region.
- J'aime le goût du genièvre dans la cuisine traditionnelle.I enjoy the taste of juniper in traditional cooking.
- Le genièvre pousse dans cette région.The juniper grows in this region.
- Cette branche de genièvre est très parfumée.This juniper branch is very fragrant.
- Nous avons planté un petit genièvre dans le jardin.We planted a small juniper in the garden.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Léa are walking through a botanical garden.
- GabrielRegarde ce bel arbuste, c'est un genièvre.Look at this beautiful shrub, it is a juniper.
- LéaOui, il est très vert et dense.Yes, it is very green and dense.
- GabrielLe genièvre est parfait pour l'ornement.The juniper is perfect for decoration.
- LéaTu as raison, Gabriel.You are right, Gabriel.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry genièvre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries genièvre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
