brume
/bʁym/
In French, mist is brume.
brume refers to a layer of fine droplets or particles. It often carries a poetic or atmospheric connotation.
Meaning: a layer of fine droplets or particles (noun)
Which one should you use?
While brume is often used for mist, brouillard is the more common word for a thick, heavy fog that significantly reduces visibility.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/bʁym/
Did you know?
- The word brume is a linguistic survivor from the Latin word brūma, which actually meant 'winter'.
- The term brume is often used in the names of perfumes or cosmetics to suggest a fine, light spray of liquid.
- French has a specific expression être dans la brume which can describe a state of mental confusion or disorientation.
Examples in context
- La brume se dissipe.The mist is clearing.Tatoeba #12964951 by lbdx, translation #6115708 by Hybrid
- Un bateau apparut soudain dans la brume.A boat suddenly appeared out of the mist.Tatoeba #135316 by Cocorico, translation #322862 by Dejo
- Un rideau de brume nous obstruait la vue.A curtain of mist blocked our view.Tatoeba #452533 by sacredceltic, translation #322851 by CM
- Ce matin, j'ai marché dans le brouillard.This morning, I walked in the mist.
- Attention à la brume épaisse en sortant de la forêt.Be careful of the thick mist when exiting the forest.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Chloé are standing on a balcony looking at the landscape.
- LucasIl y a une brume épaisse ce matin.There is a thick mist this morning.
- ChloéOui, on ne voit rien au loin.Yes, we can't see anything in the distance.
- LucasCette brume rend le paysage mystérieux.This mist makes the landscape mysterious.
- ChloéC'est vrai, c'est très beau.It's true, it's very beautiful.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry brume, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries brume, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
