craie

chalk

noun KREH Rare

Origin: Latin creta, 'chalk, clay'

Usage Note

Craie refers to chalk, both the natural rock and the stick used for writing on a blackboard. Le tableau noir paired with une craie is the classic French classroom image. The word is also used in geology: la Craie (capitalised) refers to the Cretaceous chalk formations of northern France and England.

Examples

"Le professeur écrit au tableau avec de la craie."

Natural Translation

The teacher writes on the board with chalk.

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