comparaison
/kɔ̃.pa.ʁɛ.zɔ̃/feminine
The French word for simile is comparaison.
The term comparaison refers to a figure of speech in which one thing is compared to another. It also serves as the standard word for a general comparison between two things.
Meaning: figure of speech in which one thing is compared to another (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
comparaison is a feminine noun, so any accompanying adjectives must agree in gender.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables and is pronounced /kɔ̃.pa.ʁɛ.zɔ̃/.
Did you know?
- French students are taught that a comparaison is a 'broken' metaphor because it uses a bridge word like comme to explicitly link two ideas.
- The phrase sans comparaison is often used as an idiom to mean 'unparalleled' or 'beyond compare' rather than a literal lack of a simile.
- If you are discussing a comparison in a computer science context, a French developer might use the word comparaison to describe the process of checking if two values are equal, a use entirely removed from literature.
Examples in context
- Ne pouvons-nous pas utiliser une comparaison ici ?Can't we use a simile here?This sentence is useful for suggesting the use of a comparaison in a specific context.Tatoeba #9184938 by Micsmithel, translation #25225 by shekitten
- Son discours était plein de comparaisons intéressantes.His speech was full of interesting similes.
- Il est fort comme un lion.He is as strong as a lion.
- Ses yeux brillent comme des étoiles.His/her eyes sparkle like stars.
- C'est léger comme une plume.It's light as a feather.
- Cette comparaison est très parlante.This comparison is very vivid.
- L'auteur utilise une comparaison audacieuse.The author uses a bold comparison.
Example conversation
Two students are discussing a poem in a library.
- LucasTu as compris cette comparaison ?Did you understand this comparison?
- ChloéOui, elle est très claire.Yes, it is very clear.
- LucasChloé, tu es très intelligente de l'avoir saisie.Chloé, you are very smart to have caught it.
- ChloéMerci Lucas, c'était assez simple.Thanks Lucas, it was quite simple.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “simile” translations and entries comparaison, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
