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ralenti

slow motion

noun rah-lahn-TEE Rare
Arts & Culture Performance

Also means

idle (engine speed)

Usage Note

Ralenti derives from the verb ralentir (to slow down) and has two main senses: in cinema it means slow-motion footage (voir au ralenti), and in mechanics it refers to the engine's idling speed (tourner au ralenti). The phrase tourner au ralenti is also used figuratively to mean things are running at a reduced pace.

Examples

"La scène est filmée au ralenti."

Natural Translation

The scene is filmed in slow motion.

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