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cygne

swan

noun SEEN-yuh Rare
Animals & Nature Birds

Usage Note

Cygne is spelled with a y of Greek origin and is pronounced with a single /ny/ sound at the end. Le chant du cygne ('swan song') describes a final masterpiece or last performance before death or retirement — used exactly as in English. The famous ballet Le Lac des cygnes ('Swan Lake') by Tchaikovsky keeps the word culturally prominent in France.

Examples

"Un cygne blanc glisse sur le lac."

Natural Translation

A white swan glides on the lake.

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