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corbeau

raven, crow

noun kor-BOH Rare
Animals & Nature Birds

Origin: From Old French 'corp', Latin 'corvus' (raven).

Also means

anonymous letter-writer

Usage Note

Corbeau refers primarily to the large black raven (Corvus corax), though in informal usage it can cover crows too. Its second sense — an anonymous accuser or poison-pen letter writer — comes from the 1943 film Le Corbeau. The plural follows the -eau → -eaux pattern: corbeaux.

Examples

"Un corbeau noir se posa sur la branche."

Natural Translation

A black raven perched on the branch.

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