gagne-pain

livelihood, breadwinner

noun gahn-YUH-pan Rare

Usage Note

gagne-pain is invariable in the plural (no change: des gagne-pain). It describes the job or activity that earns someone their daily bread, often implying a modest or unglamorous occupation. The compound comes from gagner (to earn) + pain (bread), literally 'bread-earner'.

Examples

"Ce petit commerce est son seul gagne-pain."

Natural Translation

This small shop is his only livelihood.

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