firmament

firmament, sky

noun feer-mah-MAHN Rare

Usage Note

Firmament is a literary and elevated word for the sky or heavens, drawn from biblical and classical tradition. It is rarely used in everyday speech, where ciel is preferred. It appears in poetry, religious texts, and high-register prose, and also in figurative expressions like une étoile du firmament to describe a luminous celebrity.

Examples

"Les étoiles brillaient dans le firmament."

Natural Translation

The stars shone in the firmament.

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