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ténèbres

darkness

noun teh-NEBB-ruh Less Common
Descriptions & Qualities Conditions

Origin: Latin tenebrae (darkness)

Usage Note

Ténèbres is almost always used in the plural and carries a literary or dramatic weight — it evokes profound, often threatening darkness rather than the simple absence of light (l'obscurité). It appears in religious and literary contexts: les ténèbres de l'âme ('the darkness of the soul'). The adjective ténébreux means dark and mysterious.

Examples

"Il avança dans les ténèbres sans lampe."

Natural Translation

He walked forward into the darkness without a torch.

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