tiret bas
/ti.ʁɛ ba/masculine
The English word 'underscore' (the noun) is translated into French as tiret bas. Wiktionary also lists tiret du 8 and blanc souligné.
Meaning: an underline (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tiret bas | /ti.ʁɛ ba/ /ti.ʁɛ bɑ/ |
masculine |
| tiret du 8 | /ti.ʁɛ dy ɥit/ | |
| blanc souligné | masculine | |
| sous-tiret | masculine |
If you wish to use a verb to mean 'to emphasize' or 'to underline', use souligner.
What does it mean word for word?
The term tiret bas literally translates to 'low dash'.
Which one should you use?
While tiret bas is a standard way to name the symbol, tiret du 8 is a common colloquial way to refer to it, based on the visual resemblance of the symbol to the middle of the number 8. The term blanc souligné is also used to refer to the underscore.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
All noun forms provided, including tiret bas, blanc souligné and sous-tiret, are masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
/ti.ʁɛ ba/
Did you know?
Examples in context
- La conclusion de l'étude souligne l'importance de…The study's conclusion underscores the importance of…
- Il y a un tiret bas dans l'adresse email.There is an underscore in the email address.
- N'oublie pas le tiret bas entre les deux mots.Don't forget the underscore between the two words.
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are creating a new username for a website.
- EmmaEst-ce qu'on met un tiret bas ou un tiret ?Do we put an underscore or a hyphen?
- GabrielUtilise un tiret bas pour le pseudo.Use an underscore for the username.
- EmmaD'accord, je l'écris maintenant.Okay, I am writing it now.
- GabrielC'est parfait, Emma.It is perfect, Emma.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “underscore” translations and entries tiret bas, tiret du 8, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bas, blanc, du, tiret, tiret bas, tiret du 8, CC BY-SA 4.0.
