thymus
masculine
The English word 'thymus' is translated into French as thymus.
The term thymus is the standard way to refer to the ductless gland located behind the breastbone. The term Thymus is used in scientific and medical contexts to mean 'thymus'.
Meaning: ductless gland located behind the breastbone (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
As a masculine noun, thymus is preceded by the masculine definite article le, forming le thymus.
Did you know?
- A French speaker might use the term thymique as an adjective to describe things related to the thymus, but it is also used in psychiatry to describe 'thymic' or mood-related states.
- While thymus is the anatomical name, the French word for the herb 'thyme' is thym, which is almost identical in spelling and pronunciation.
- The spelling of thymus remains identical in both French and English, despite the two languages having very different phonetic rules for how those letters are voiced.
Examples in context
- La chirurgie a eu un impact négatif sur le fonctionnement du thymus.The surgery had a negative impact on the functioning of the thymus.
- Les cellules du thymus contribuent au développement du système immunitaire.The cells of the thymus contribute to the development of the immune system.
- Le thymus est situé dans la poitrine.The thymus is located in the chest.
- Le médecin a examiné son thymus.The doctor examined his thymus.
- Le thymus joue un rôle dans l'immunité.The thymus plays a role in immunity.
Example conversation
Manon and Gabriel are studying anatomy together.
- ManonOù se situe exactement le thymus ?Where exactly is the thymus located?
- GabrielIl est juste derrière le sternum, Manon.It is right behind the breastbone, Manon.
- ManonEst-ce que le thymus produit des lymphocytes ?Does the thymus produce lymphocytes?
- GabrielOui, c'est sa fonction principale.Yes, that is its main function.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thymus” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
