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dépeindre

to depict, to portray

verb deh-PAHN-druh Rare

Usage Note

dépeindre is a literary or formal verb meaning to describe or portray in words or images. It follows the conjugation pattern of peindre (irregular: je dépeins, il dépeint, nous dépeignons). The related noun une peinture covers both paint and a portrayal. More vivid than décrire (to describe).

Examples

"Le roman dépeint une société en ruines."

Natural Translation

The novel depicts a society in ruins.

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