Usage Note
Cime refers to the very top of a tree, mountain, or wave — often with a poetic or literary flavour. It is more elevated in register than sommet (summit) and commonly appears in nature poetry and hiking literature. The plural les cimes evokes dramatic mountain or forest imagery.
Examples
"Les cimes des sapins sont enneigées."
Natural Translation
The treetops of the fir trees are snow-covered.

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