Usage Note
Gale is the medical term for the skin disease caused by a mite (Sarcoptes scabiei), called 'scabies' in English. Colloquially, calling someone la gale is a strong insult meaning a pest or nuisance. La gale is highly contagious and spreads through close contact.
Examples
"Le médecin a diagnostiqué la gale chez l'enfant."
Natural Translation
The doctor diagnosed scabies in the child.

Free starter pack
Building your French vocabulary?
Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.
Related Words
Explore French by topic