renaissance
/ʁə.nɛ.sɑ̃s/feminine
The French word for rebirth is renaissance.
The word refers to the concept of reincarnation or a rebirth.
Meaning: reincarnation (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the prefix re- (meaning again) and naissance (meaning birth).
Which one should you use?
While renaissance can mean rebirth in a general sense, it also refers specifically to the historical period of the Renaissance when capitalized in English contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is feminine, so the indefinite article used is une.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʁə.nɛ.sɑ̃s/
Did you know?
- The root word naître (to be born) is a 'defective verb' in French, meaning it lacks many standard tenses that other verbs possess, making its usage patterns quite unique.
- In French, the term renaissance is often used in a secular or artistic context, whereas the spiritual concept of reincarnation is more frequently called réincarnation.
- The French word naissance shares a root with the English word 'nascent', making them linguistic cousins.
Examples in context
- La mort de son mari fut sa renaissance.The death of her husband was her rebirth.This sentence illustrates using renaissance to describe a personal rebirth following a loss.Tatoeba #8643689 by Aiji, translation #1126740 by AlanF_US
- L'œuf est un symbole universel de vie et de renaissance.The egg is a universal symbol of life and rebirth.This sentence shows how renaissance is used in the context of universal symbols.Tatoeba #1521599 by martin9, translation #1522144 by LittleBoy
- L'annihilation donne naissance à ma renaissance.Annihilation gives birth to my rebirth.This sentence demonstrates the metaphorical use of renaissance following annihilation.Tatoeba #1144757 by Adrael, translation #1144191 by diviner
- La Renaissance artistique du XVème siècle a marqué un tournant majeur dans l'histoire de l'art.The artistic Renaissance of the 15th century marked a major turning point in the history of art.
Example conversation
Manon and Hugo are discussing a book about spirituality.
- ManonCrois-tu vraiment à la renaissance ?Do you really believe in reincarnation?
- HugoOui, je pense que l'âme continue.Yes, I think the soul continues.
- ManonC'est une belle idée de renaissance.It's a beautiful idea of rebirth.
- HugoC'est apaisant de penser ainsi.It's soothing to think that way.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rebirth” translations and entries renaissance, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
