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fléau

scourge, plague

noun fleh-OH Rare
People & Society Military

Origin: Latin flagellum (whip)

Also means

flail (weapon)

Usage Note

fléau can describe both a literal threshing tool and a catastrophic affliction — epidemic, war, or poverty. The plural is fléaux. The phrase un fléau social ('a social scourge') is common in journalism.

Examples

"La drogue est un vrai fléau."

Natural Translation

Drugs are a real scourge.

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