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cerf-volant

kite (flying toy)

noun sehr-voh-LAHN Rare
Arts & Culture Games

Origin: Compound of cerf (stag) and volant (flying), from the stag-beetle's flying form

Also means

flying stag beetle

Usage Note

Cerf-volant literally means 'flying stag' and refers both to the paper or fabric kite flown on a string and, in entomology, to the stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) whose large mandibles resemble antlers. The kite meaning is far more common in everyday speech. The plural is cerfs-volants.

Examples

"Les enfants font voler des cerfs-volants sur la plage."

Natural Translation

The children are flying kites on the beach.

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