Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pomme de pin | /pɔm də pɛ̃/ | feminine |
| aval-pin | ||
| coucarello | ||
| pignon (Provence) | ||
| strobile de pin | ||
| babet (Saint-Étienne) | masculine | |
| barolin | Switzerland | |
| cocotte (Canade, Hautes-Vosges) | feminine | |
| cône de pin | masculine | |
| pigne (Gascogne) | feminine | |
| pive | /piv/ | Switzerland, feminine |
| carotte de pin | Belgium, feminine |
The term refers to the seed-bearing structure of a pine tree.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase pomme de pin literally translates to 'apple of pine'.
Which one should you use?
While pomme de pin is the common way to say pinecone, cône de pin is used as a more technical or botanical term. For highly formal scientific contexts in botany, one would use strobile de pin.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Pigne is an informal way to refer to a pinecone, and strobile de pin is a formal scientific term.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Several regional variations exist: barolin is used in Switzerland, pive (a feminine noun) is also used in Switzerland, carotte de pin (a feminine noun) is used in Belgium, pigne (a feminine noun) is used in the Gascony region, pignon is used in Provence, babet is used in Saint-Étienne, cocotte is used in the Hautes-Vosges and Canada and coucarello is also used. Additionally, aval-pin is a regional term.
How does it change in a sentence?
Pomme de pin is a feminine noun. In Switzerland, pive is a feminine noun. In Gascony, pigne is a feminine noun. In Belgium, carotte de pin is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɔm də pɛ̃/
Did you know?
- The term cocotte is used for a pinecone in the Hautes-Vosges region and Canada, though in standard French it usually means a 'hen' or a 'cooking pot'.
- The French word pomme in pomme de pin comes from a Latin word meaning 'taken off'.
- In the Provence region, the term pignon refers to both the pinecone and the pine nut it contains.
Examples in context
- J'ai trouvé une belle pomme de pin dans la forêt.I found a beautiful pinecone in the forest.
- Les enfants ont ramassé plusieurs pignes pendant notre randonnée.The children collected several pinecones during our hike.
- Regarde cette petite pomme de pin.Look at this small pinecone.
- Il y a une pomme de pin sur le chemin.There is a pinecone on the path.
- J'ai trouvé une pomme de pin dans le jardin.I found a pinecone in the garden.
Example conversation
Manon and Hugo are walking through a forest.
- ManonHugo, regarde cette belle pomme de pin !Hugo, look at this beautiful pinecone!
- HugoElle est très grande, cette pomme de pin.That pinecone is very large.
- ManonOn peut la ramasser pour la décoration.We can pick it up for decoration.
- HugoBonne idée, ramassons-la.Good idea, let's pick it up.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pinecone” translations and entries pomme de pin, pive, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, pin, pomme, pomme de pin, CC BY-SA 4.0.
