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clairière

clearing (in a forest)

noun klair-YAIR Rare

Usage Note

Clairière derives from clair (clear, light) and describes a natural open space within a woodland where trees are absent. It is a staple of French fairy-tale and literary landscapes. The related adjective clairsemé(e) means 'sparse' or 'thinly scattered', and la clairière often appears in hunting, ecology, and hiking contexts.

Examples

"Un cerf traversait la clairière au crépuscule."

Natural Translation

A deer was crossing the clearing at dusk.

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