privation

deprivation, hardship

noun pree-vah-SYOHN Rare

Origin: From Latin 'privatio', from 'privare' (to deprive).

Usage Note

Privation usually appears in the plural les privations to describe the cumulative hardships of poverty, war, or famine. In singular use it can refer to a specific deprivation, such as privation de sommeil (sleep deprivation). The related verb is priver and the adjective privé (private, deprived).

Examples

"La guerre a imposé de nombreuses privations à la population."

Natural Translation

The war imposed many hardships on the population.

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

FrenchNow

Le, La, Un, Du: French Articles Made Simple

Le, la, un, du, des made simple: pick the French article family by meaning, the form by gender, and dodge the two mistakes English speakers always make.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

How to Pronounce the French R (Step by Step)

The French R is a back-of-the-throat sound, not a rolled R. Learn the exact tongue position and a step-by-step drill to build it from sounds you already make.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

French Adjective Placement: Before or After the Noun?

French adjectives usually follow the noun, but a small common set goes before it — and a few change meaning depending on which side they sit. Here's the rule.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French Noun Gender: Rules to Guess Right 80%

Guess French noun gender right 80% of the time using word endings: -age, -ment, -eau are masculine; -tion, -té, -ette are feminine. A high-yield system.

June 3, 2026 5 min read