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tombée

nightfall, dusk

noun tohm-BEH Rare
Time Time of Day

Usage Note

Tombée is used almost exclusively in à la tombée de la nuit ('at nightfall') and à la tombée du jour ('at dusk'). It derives from tomber ('to fall') — the night 'falls'. Outside these fixed phrases the word is uncommon as a standalone noun; the related tombée des feuilles ('leaf fall') occasionally appears in poetic contexts.

Examples

"Ils sont rentrés à la tombée de la nuit."

Natural Translation

They returned at nightfall.

Literal Translation

They returned at the fall of night.

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