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tempête

storm

noun tahm-PET Less Common

Origin: Latin tempestas (weather, storm)

Also means

tempest

Usage Note

Tempête denotes a violent storm, stronger than une pluie or un orage. The phrase une tempête sous un crâne (a storm inside a skull) is a literary metaphor for intense inner turmoil, made famous by Victor Hugo. Une tempête de neige specifically means a blizzard.

Examples

"La tempête a duré toute la nuit."

Natural Translation

The storm lasted all night.

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