Skip to content

sursauter

to start (with fright)

verb soor-soh-TEH Rare
Body & Health Movement

Also means

to jump (in surprise)

Usage Note

Sursauter describes the involuntary physical flinch or jump caused by a sudden fright or loud noise. It is more specific than sauter ('to jump') — it implies surprise. The related noun is sursaut ('a start, a jolt'), which also appears in the figurative phrase un sursaut d'énergie ('a sudden burst of energy'). A typical usage: faire sursauter quelqu'un ('to make someone jump').

Examples

"Le bruit soudain l'a fait sursauter."

Natural Translation

The sudden noise made him jump.

Explore French by topic