refuge

refuge, shelter

noun ruh-FYUZH Rare

Origin: Latin 'refugium' (place to flee to)

Also means

sanctuary

Usage Note

Refuge is used for physical shelters (un refuge de montagne = a mountain hut) and metaphorical ones (trouver refuge dans la musique = to find refuge in music). Un réfugié (refugee) is the derived noun for a person who has fled. Mountain refuges are a key part of French Alpine hiking culture.

Examples

"Les randonneurs ont trouvé refuge dans le chalet."

Natural Translation

The hikers found shelter in the chalet.

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