LED
/lɛd/feminine
The French term for the English noun LED is LED or DEL.
Meaning: LED (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| LED | /lɛd/ | feminine |
| DEL | feminine |
In French, this term refers to a light-emitting diode.
What does it mean word for word?
The acronym DEL stands for diode émettrice de lumière, which literally translates to light-emitting diode.
Which one should you use?
LED is commonly used in technical contexts, whereas DEL is the official French acronym.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term is feminine, so it is preceded by the feminine article la.
How do you pronounce it?
/lɛd/
Did you know?
- In many French-speaking regions, using the English 'LED' instead of the French 'DEL' can be seen as a sign of 'anglicisme', which some linguistic purists avoid.
- In Quebec, where French linguistic standards are strictly enforced, the use of DEL is much more common in official government communications than in France.
- While LED is an English loanword, the official French term DEL is a 'calque', which means it is a direct structural translation of the English acronym into French.
Examples in context
- Certains considèrent Led Zeppelin comme étant le plus grand groupe ayant jamais existé.Some people consider Led Zeppelin to be the greatest band there has ever been.This sentence shows how LED is used as part of a proper name.Tatoeba #1172124 by Sibelius, translation #751269 by eastasiastudent
- La DEL rouge clignote toujours.The red LED still blinks.Tatoeba #13848864 by Ioan_Cristian, translation #13848857 by Ioan_Cristian
- La DEL du routeur est-elle verte ou rouge ?Is the LED on the router green or red?Tatoeba #13848882 by Ioan_Cristian, translation #13848881 by Ioan_Cristian
- Il a dirigé l'entreprise avec succès.He led the company successfully.
- Il a mené l'équipe vers la victoire.He led the team to victory.
- Il a dirigé la réunion d'une main de maître.He led the meeting masterfully.
- Elle l'a mené vers de nouveaux horizons.She led him towards new horizons.
- Le professeur a guidé les étudiants tout au long du projet.The teacher led the students throughout the project.
Example conversation
Hugo is trying to fix a small electronic toy for Manon.
- ManonEst-ce que la LED fonctionne encore ?Does the LED still work?
- HugoNon, la LED est grillée.No, the LED is burnt out.
- ManonPeux-tu la remplacer ?Can you replace it?
- HugoJe vais essayer, Manon.I will try, Manon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “led” translations and entries LED, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
