blanchissage
/blɑ̃.ʃi.saʒ/
In French, the English phrase "shutout" is translated as blanchissage. Wiktionary also lists balle and jeu blanc.
Meaning: game that ends with one side not having scored (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| blanchissage | /blɑ̃.ʃi.saʒ/ | |
| balle | /bal/ | feminine |
| jeu blanc | masculine |
A shutout refers to a game that ends with one side not having scored. The term blanchissage is an informal way to refer to a shutout, borrowed from hockey.
How do you pronounce it?
The word blanchissage is pronounced /blɑ̃.ʃi.saʒ/ and has three syllables.
Did you know?
- The term blanchissage is a literal application of the word for 'laundry' or 'whitening' to sports, mirroring the English idiom 'clean sheet'.
- While blanchissage is common in Quebec due to the influence of ice hockey, it is much rarer in European French sports commentary.
Examples in context
- Notre gardien de but les a empêchés de marquerOur goalkeeper prevented them from scoring
- Le gardien a réussi un beau blanchissageThe goalkeeper had a great shutout
- Le gardien a gardé son filet intactThe goaltender kept his net intact
- C'était un blanchissage impressionnant.It was an impressive shutout.
- Ils ont réussi un blanchissage hier soir.They achieved a shutout last night.
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are discussing a hockey match at a cafe.
- NathanAs-tu vu le match de hockey ?Did you see the hockey game?
- EmmaOui, et quel blanchissage incroyable !Yes, and what an incredible shutout!
- NathanLe gardien était vraiment exceptionnel.The goalie was truly exceptional.
- EmmaC'est vrai, il n'a rien laissé passer.That's true, he didn't let anything past.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shutout” translations and entries blanchissage, balle, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries balle, blanc, blanchissage, jeu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
