onde de tempête
feminine
The English phrase "storm surge" is translated into French as onde de tempête.
onde de tempête refers to an unusual rise in sea level. In certain contexts, one might use the more formal term Raz de marée, which literally translates to "tidal wave".
Meaning: unusual rise in sea level (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Because onde is a feminine noun, the indefinite article used for "a storm surge" is une onde de tempête.
Did you know?
- In French political commentary, a raz de marée is used metaphorically to describe a landslide victory in an election.
- The word tempête is used in the idiom tempête dans un verre d'eau, which is the equivalent of the English phrase 'a storm in a teacup'.
- The word onde comes from the Latin unda, which also gave English the word 'undulate'.
Examples in context
- L'onde de tempête a inondé la côte.The storm surge flooded the coast.
- Une forte onde de tempête est prévue.A strong storm surge is predicted.
Example conversation
Two people are discussing a weather warning for the coast.
- ChloéHugo, regarde l'alerte pour l'onde de tempête !Hugo, look at the storm surge alert!
- HugoC'est grave ? Le niveau de la mer monte ?Is it serious? Is the sea level rising?
- ChloéOui, l'onde de tempête sera très forte demain.Yes, the storm surge will be very strong tomorrow.
- HugoNous devons déplacer la voiture tout de suite.We must move the car right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “storm surge” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, onde, tempête, CC BY-SA 4.0.
