asile

asylum, refuge

noun ah-ZEEL Less Common

Origin: Latin asylum, Greek asylon

Also means

mental institution (dated)

Usage Note

Asile covers both political asylum (demander l'asile = to seek asylum; droit d'asile = right of asylum) and, in older usage, a psychiatric institution (un asile de fous). The modern term for the latter is hôpital psychiatrique. Demandeur d'asile is the standard term for an asylum seeker.

Examples

"Il a demandé l'asile politique dans ce pays."

Natural Translation

He sought political asylum in that country.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

Sorry in French: Désolé vs Pardon vs Excusez-moi

Use désolé for genuine regret, pardon to bump or squeeze past, and excusez-moi to get attention. A situation-by-situation guide to saying sorry in French.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French Liaison Rules: When to Link Words (and Not To)

French liaison links a silent final consonant to the next vowel. Learn the obligatory, forbidden, and optional rules, plus the s→z and d→t sound shifts.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French Adjective Placement: Before or After the Noun?

French adjectives usually follow the noun, but a small common set goes before it — and a few change meaning depending on which side they sit. Here's the rule.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French Numbers 1 to 100: Count With Confidence

French numbers 1 to 100 in one complete chart, with pronunciation, the et-un rule, hyphens, and the four-twenties system explained so you can count anywhere.

June 4, 2026 6 min read