renaissance
/ʁə.nɛ.sɑ̃s/
The French word for renaissance is renaissance.
The term refers to a rebirth or a revival.
Meaning: rebirth or revival (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the prefix re- (again) and the verb naître (to be born), literally meaning 'rebirth'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring specifically to the historical period, the noun is used with the definite article la and is typically capitalized as la Renaissance.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and is pronounced /ʁə.nɛ.sɑ̃s/.
Did you know?
- In French literature, the term renaissance is frequently linked to the Pléiade, a group of 16th-century poets who consciously tried to revive the French language to match the prestige of Latin and Greek.
- The word renaissance shares its root with the French word naissance, which is used not only for 'birth' but also to describe the 'origin' or 'beginning' of a movement or a river.
- In French, the word renaissance can be used figuratively to describe a person's sudden return to a former state of health or popularity. You might speak of a 'renaissance personnelle' to describe a comeback.
Examples in context
- Auriez-vous des peintures de la Renaissance ?Do you have Renaissance paintings?This sentence is useful for asking about paintings from the renaissance.Tatoeba #622834 by qdii, translation #434582 by lukaszpp
- L'époque médiévale fit place à la Renaissance.The Medieval Era gave way to the Renaissance.This sentence describes the transition from the Medieval Era to the renaissance.Tatoeba #809423 by sacredceltic, translation #671644 by darinmex
- Marc a donné une conférence sur la Renaissance.Mark gave a talk on the Renaissance.This sentence is useful for mentioning a lecture about the renaissance.Tatoeba #3083916 by Rovo, translation #12463800 by sundown
- La Renaissance a joué un rôle crucial dans l'histoire de l'art.The Renaissance played a crucial role in art history.
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Chloé are discussing an art exhibition.
- LucasJ'adore cette période de renaissance artistique.I love this period of artistic rebirth.
- ChloéMoi aussi, c'est vraiment inspirant.Me too, it is truly inspiring.
- LucasOn sent une véritable renaissance des couleurs.You can feel a real revival of colors.
- ChloéC'est tout à fait vrai, Lucas.That is completely true, Lucas.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry renaissance, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
