monstre marin
/mɔ̃s.tʁə ma.ʁɛ̃/masculine
The English phrase "sea monster" is translated into French as monstre marin.
The term refers to a large, aggressive creature living in the sea.
Meaning: large, aggressive creature in the sea (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of monstre (monster) and marin (marine or of the sea).
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural, both the noun and the adjective take an s, resulting in monstres marins.
How do you pronounce it?
/mɔ̃s.tʁə ma.ʁɛ̃/. The word has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- In French, if you describe a person as a monstre, you might actually be complimenting their incredible talent or skill rather than insulting their character.
- In French, the adjective marin can also describe a type of clothing, such as the tricot marin, which is the iconic striped blue and white sailor shirt.
- The word monstre shares the same Latin root as the French word montrer (to show). In antiquity, a 'monster' was seen as a divine omen intended to show or warn humans of something.
Examples in context
- Le professeur a mené une étude approfondie sur les monstres marins.The professor conducted an in-depth study on sea monsters.
- Le monstre marin a surgi des profondeurs.The sea monster emerged from the depths.
- Le monstre marin a attaqué le vieux bateau.The sea monster attacked the old boat.
- Les légendes parlent d'un monstre marin géant.Legends speak of a giant sea monster.
Example conversation
Manon and Hugo are watching a movie together.
- ManonRegarde ce monstre marin !Look at that sea monster!
- HugoIl est vraiment énorme.It is really huge.
- ManonJe trouve ce monstre marin effrayant.I find this sea monster scary.
- HugoMoi aussi, Manon.Me too, Manon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sea monster” translations and entries monstre marin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
