orteil
/ɔʁ.tɛj/
The French word for toe is orteil.
orteil is the noun used to refer to an equivalent part on an animal.
Meaning: any equivalent part in an animal (noun)
Which one should you use?
While orteil is the precise anatomical term for the foot, the word doigt is used for both fingers and toes in many contexts. Another popular alternative is doigt de pied, which translates to "finger of the foot".
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of 'orteil' is 'orteils'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɔʁ.tɛj/
Did you know?
- The word orteil is actually a close relative of the English word 'article'. Both descend from the Latin 'articulus', which refers to a joint or a knuckle.
Examples in context
- Mon petit orteil me fait mal.My little toe hurts.This sentence is useful for describing pain in a specific toe.Tatoeba #4087068 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #4086739 by pullnosemans
- Je viens de me cogner l'orteil.I just stubbed my toe.This sentence is useful for describing the action of stubbing a toe.Tatoeba #2069662 by sacredceltic, translation #1887448 by CK
- Je me suis cassé le gros orteil.I broke my big toe.This sentence is useful for describing an injury to a big toe.Tatoeba #6588199 by GB3, translation #6587885 by Eccles17
- Je me suis cassé l'orteil gauche en jouant au football.I broke my left toe while playing soccer.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas is telling Chloé about a clumsy mistake he made.
- LucasJe me suis cogné l'orteil contre le lit.I stubbed my toe against the bed.
- ChloéOh non ! Est-ce que ça saigne ?Oh no! Is it bleeding?
- LucasNon, mais mon orteil est tout rouge.No, but my toe is all red.
- ChloéTu devrais mettre de la glace, Lucas.You should put some ice on it, Lucas.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry orteil, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries orteil, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
