meneur
/mə.nœʁ/masculine
The English phrase "point guard" is meneur in French.
In a basketball context, meneur is used to refer to a ballhandling guard. While meneur is used, the full phrase meneur de jeu is the standard way to refer to a playmaker or point guard.
Meaning: ballhandling guard in basketball (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word meneur comes from the verb mener, which means "to lead", so it literally translates to "leader".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, the term le demi may be used to refer to a point guard.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of the noun is meneuse.
How do you pronounce it?
/mə.nœʁ/. The word has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- Because meneur means 'leader', a coach might use the word to describe a player's temperament rather than their specific tactical position on the court.
- The feminine form meneuse is commonly used for female point guards, but in some traditional sports journalism, the masculine meneur is used as a generic term for the position regardless of gender.
Examples in context
- Le meneur de jeu des Lakers est très talentueux.The point guard of the Lakers is very talented.
- As-tu vu le match hier soir ? Le meneur a réalisé de superbes passes décisives !Did you watch the game last night? The point guard made some incredible assists!
- Il est le meneur de l'équipe.He is the team's point guard.
- Le meneur passe le ballon très bien.The point guard passes the ball very well.
- Nous avons besoin d'un bon meneur.We need a good point guard.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a basketball game they watched.
- LucasTu as aimé le jeu de Lucas ?Did you like Lucas's play?
- ManonOui, c'est un excellent meneur.Yes, he is an excellent point guard.
- LucasIl contrôle vraiment bien le rythme.He really controls the tempo well.
- ManonC'est vrai, il est impressionnant.It's true, he is impressive.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “point guard” translations and entries meneur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
