le
/de.paʁ.tə.mɑ̃/
Translation
département (a French administrative district, not an office department)
Word origin
From départir ('to divide up, to share out'), from Latin dispertire, from dis- ('apart') and partire ('to divide'). The administrative sense dates from the redrawing of France in 1790. English 'department' was borrowed from the French word and kept the older office sense.
- Origin
- French
- Root
- départir
- English cognates
- department, depart, part
Grammar
Examples
métropolitaine -- .
Mainland France has ninety-six départements.
.
We live in the Nord département.
apparaît .
The number of the département appears on old car number plates.
élit .
Each département elects its own council.
.
This village sits on the boundary between two départements.
Where this fits
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département: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the French word "département" (département (a French administrative district, not an office department)): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 38.