carreau

tile (floor/wall)

noun kah-ROH Rare

Origin: Old French carré ('square')

Also means

diamond (card suit), small pane

Usage Note

Carreau has several meanings: a square floor or wall tile, the diamonds suit in a card game (le valet de carreau), and a window pane in literary French. Its plural follows the -eau → -eaux rule: des carreaux. Rester sur le carreau ('to be left on the tile') means to be knocked out or left behind.

Examples

"Le sol est recouvert de carreaux blancs."

Natural Translation

The floor is covered with white tiles.

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