le

masculine

/ʁa/

#1431 of 5,000 Core 5000

Translation

rat

Word origin

Attested in Old French as rat and found across the Germanic and Romance languages, but the ultimate source is uncertain.

Origin: Old French
Root: rat
English cognates: rat

Other proposed origins

Most accounts take it from a Germanic word, compare Old High German ratta and Old English raet, spread into Late Latin as rattus. (ratta)
Some accounts derive the Germanic and Romance forms alike from Late Latin rattus, itself of unknown origin. (rattus)

Grammar

Gendermasculine

Pluralrats

Examples

A rat ran past behind the bins.

The cat left a dead rat in front of the door.

l'.

There are rats in the cellar of the building.

My daughter is a real bookworm.

We set traps to catch the rats.

Where this fits

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French · Free printables

rat: worksheet, infographic and listicle

Free printable study downloads for the French word "rat" (rat): 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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This word is part of lesson 29.