fossé

ditch

noun foh-SEH Rare

Also means

gap

Usage Note

Fossé refers to a roadside ditch or moat, but its figurative use is very common — le fossé entre les générations ('the generation gap') or un fossé culturel ('a cultural divide'). The phrase tomber dans le fossé is used informally for something that has failed completely. The diminutive fossette ('dimple') is a separate but phonetically related word.

Examples

"Un fossé sépare les deux propriétés."

Natural Translation

A ditch separates the two properties.

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