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récré

break (school recess), informal shortening of récréation

noun reh-KREH Rare

Origin: Clipped from récréation, from Latin recreatio (restoration, refreshment)

Usage Note

Récré is an informal truncation of récréation used by children and teachers alike to mean the school break period. Saying la récré immediately signals a familiar, child-oriented register. The fuller form la récréation is used in official school documents and by adults in formal speech.

Examples

"Les enfants jouent au foot pendant la récré."

Natural Translation

The children play football during break time.

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