gratte-ciel

skyscraper

noun grat-SYEL Rare

Usage Note

Gratte-ciel is a calque of the English 'skyscraper', literally meaning 'sky-scraper'. It is invariable — the plural is also gratte-ciel, with no added s. A synonym in informal French is tour (tower), though tour is broader. The hyphenated compound form is standard in dictionaries.

Examples

"Les gratte-ciel de Manhattan sont impressionnants."

Natural Translation

Manhattan's skyscrapers are impressive.

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