paravent
folding screen, room divider
noun pah-rah-VAHN Rare
Origin: From Italian 'paravento' (wind screen).
Usage Note
Paravent literally means 'wind blocker' and refers to the multi-panel folding screen used to divide a room or shield a space. Lacquered Japanese-style paravents became fashionable in 18th-century French interiors and are still sold as decorative furniture. The word is not used figuratively in modern French.
Examples
"Elle s'est changée derrière le paravent."
Natural Translation
She changed behind the folding screen.
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
