tournant

turning point

noun toor-NAHN Rare

Also means

bend, curve (in a road)

Usage Note

Tournant comes from the present participle of tourner and is used both literally (a bend in a road: un tournant dangereux) and figuratively (a decisive moment: un tournant historique). The phrase prendre un tournant means to take a turn, physically or metaphorically. As an adjective, tournant means rotating — porte tournante is a revolving door.

Examples

"Ce discours a marqué un tournant dans sa carrière."

Natural Translation

That speech marked a turning point in his career.

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