forgeron
/fɔʁ.ʒə.ʁɔ̃/masculine
The French word for smith is forgeron.
A forgeron refers to a craftsperson who works with metal. While it is a general term for a smith, you may encounter the specific phrase forgeron d'art to describe an ornamental blacksmith or an artistic smith who specializes in decorative metalwork.
Meaning: craftsperson who works metal (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The noun forgeron is derived from the verb forger, which means to forge.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular form is forgeron. To refer to a female smith, use the feminine form forgeronne. If you are referring to multiple smiths, the plural form is forgerons.
How do you pronounce it?
/fɔʁ.ʒə.ʁɔ̃/. The word consists of 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- In French, the term maréchal is not just a military rank, but is also the root for a blacksmith who specializes in horse care.
- The verb forger is used in French to describe the creation of a new word or a 'neologism', as if the writer is hammering a new term into existence.
- In French literature and folklore, the forgeron is often depicted as a figure of immense physical and moral strength, symbolizing the transition from raw nature to civilization.
Examples in context
- Je connais un forgeron, Marc Smith, qui réalise de superbes sculptures en métal.I know a blacksmith, Marc Smith, who creates stunning metal sculptures.
- Le forgeron travaille le fer.The blacksmith works the iron.
- Mon grand-père était un forgeron.My grandfather was a blacksmith.
- Il faut voir ce forgeron pour réparer l'outil.We need to see this smith to repair the tool.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Manon are visiting a medieval village museum.
- GabrielRegarde, Manon, c'est le forgeron du village !Look, Manon, that's the village smith!
- ManonIl fait un bel objet en métal.He is making a beautiful metal object.
- GabrielLe métier de forgeron est très dur.The smith's trade is very hard.
- ManonOui, mais c'est impressionnant à voir.Yes, but it's impressive to watch.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “smith” translations and entries forgeron, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
