téter

to suckle

verb teh-TEH Rare

Also means

to suck (from a breast or bottle)

Usage Note

Téter refers specifically to an infant nursing at the breast or drawing from a bottle, and also to a young animal feeding from its mother. It belongs to the -er verb group but has an accent shift: je tète, tu tètes. The related noun tétine means nipple or dummy/pacifier.

Examples

"Le bébé tète sa mère pendant une heure."

Natural Translation

The baby nurses from his mother for an hour.

Literal Translation

The baby suckles his mother for an hour.

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