débardeur
/de.baʁ.dœʁ/
The French word for tank top is débardeur.
The term débardeur is used to describe both sleeveless undershirts and sleeveless outerwear tops.
Meaning: vest (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is masculine and is preceded by the masculine indefinite article un (e.g., un débardeur). To form the plural, simply add an s to the end: débardeurs.
How do you pronounce it?
/de.baʁ.dœʁ/
Did you know?
- If you use the word débardeur in a professional maritime context, you are not talking about clothing at all. You are referring to the person responsible for moving cargo on a quay or a ship.
- While 'débardeur' is common, you might also hear the word marcel used for a specific type of tight-fitting ribbed undershirt. This term is often associated with old-fashioned French working-class imagery.
- The word débardeur evokes the image of a 'stevedore', a laborer who historically wore sleeveless garments to keep cool and move freely while hauling freight.
Examples in context
- Il porte un jean moulant et un débardeur.He's wearing skinny jeans and a tank top.This sentence is useful for describing what someone is wearing using the word débardeur.Tatoeba #7476980 by theachaean, translation #7476993 by theachaean
- Je voudrais acheter un débardeur.I would like to buy a tank top.
- J'adore ton débardeur, il est super stylé !I love your tank top, it's really stylish!
- Tu as mis ton marcel préféré aujourd'hui !You're wearing your favorite tank top today!
- Elle a acheté un débardeur blanc.She bought a white tank top.
- Je préfère porter un débardeur en été.I prefer wearing a tank top in summer.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are shopping for summer clothes.
- EmmaEst-ce que tu aimes ce débardeur bleu ?Do you like this blue tank top?
- HugoOui, il te va très bien.Yes, it suits you very well.
- EmmaTu penses que je devrais le prendre ?Do you think I should get it?
- HugoAbsolument, c'est un très bon choix.Absolutely, it is a very good choice.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tank top” translations and entries débardeur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
