torpille
/tɔʁ.pij/feminine
The French word for torpedo is torpille.
torpille is a feminine noun referring to an underwater weapon. You may encounter the phrase lancer une torpille to mean to launch a torpedo.
Meaning: underwater weapon (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
torpille is a feminine noun. To form the plural, simply add an s to get torpilles. The related verb torpiller is used to describe the action of striking or sinking a ship with a torpedo.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables and is pronounced /tɔʁ.pij/.
Did you know?
- In French, the verb torpiller can be used metaphorically to mean 'to ruin' or 'to destroy' a plan or an idea, much like a physical strike destroys a target.
- The word torpille shares a root with the 'torpedo ray', a fish that can stun prey with electricity, which influenced the naming of the weapon.
- The word torpille shares a linguistic ancestor with the English word 'torpedo', both tracing back to the Latin 'torpere', meaning 'to tremble' or 'to be numb'.
Examples in context
- Il ne reste qu'une seule torpille.There's only one torpedo left.Tatoeba #11993256 by lbdx, translation #3728120 by CM
- Le sous-marin a été touché par une torpille ennemie.The submarine was hit by an enemy torpedo.
- Le sous-marin a lancé une torpille.The submarine launched a torpedo.
- Ils ont détecté une torpille sous l'eau.They detected a torpedo underwater.
Example conversation
Two history students are discussing a museum exhibit about naval warfare.
- LucasEst-ce qu'on peut voir une vraie torpille ici ?Can we see a real torpedo here?
- LéaOui, il y a une torpille dans la vitrine.Yes, there is a torpedo in the display case.
- LucasElle est énorme, cette torpille !That torpedo is huge!
- LéaC'est impressionnant de la voir de près.It is impressive to see it up close.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “torpedo” translations and entries torpille, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries torpille, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
