Messie
/mɛ.si/
The English word messiah is translated into French as Messie.
The term refers to an extremely powerful divine figure.
Meaning: an extremely powerful divine figure (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /mɛ.si/ and has two syllables.
Did you know?
- The French language distinguishes between the divine Messie and the concept of 'salvation' through the word salut, which can mean both 'hello' and 'spiritual rescue'.
- The French word Messie is a semi-learned borrowing from the Latin Messiās, which came from the Ancient Greek Messías and ultimately from Aramaic.
- The term is so closely tied to Judeo-Christianity that using it in a secular context in France can sometimes trigger a strong, unexpected reaction regarding the 'laïcité' or secularism of the public sphere.
Examples in context
- Thomas est un faux messie.Tom is a false messiah.This sentence is useful for showing how to describe a false Messie.Tatoeba #12055358 by Rovo, translation #12055203 by shekitten
- Si Jésus est le messie d’un groupe de personnes, il ne peut pas s’agir des Juifs.If Jesus is a messiah of any group of people, it can't be the Jews.This sentence is useful for discussing the Messie in relation to different groups of people.Tatoeba #12840557 by Rovo, translation #12839473 by rul
- Le Messie est attendu par de nombreux croyants.The Messiah is awaited by many believers.
- L'Oint de Dieu est promis comme un sauveur.The anointed one of God is promised as a savior.
- Certains peuples attendent leur Messie depuis longtemps.Some peoples have been waiting for their Messiah for a long time.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a historical novel in a library.
- GabrielEst-ce que le personnage principal est un Messie ?Is the main character a Messiah?
- EmmaNon, c'est un simple homme, pas un Messie.No, he is a simple man, not a Messiah.
- GabrielJe pensais qu'il avait des pouvoirs divins.I thought he had divine powers.
- EmmaL'histoire est beaucoup plus réaliste ainsi.The story is much more realistic this way.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Messie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries messie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
