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échelon

rung

noun eh-shuh-LOHN Rare

Also means

level

Usage Note

Échelon originally meant a rung of a ladder (échelle), and retains that sense, but its dominant modern use is figurative: a grade, level, or tier within a hierarchy — professional, military, or administrative. The phrase à l'échelon national ('at the national level') is standard in formal French. The plural échelons is very common.

Examples

"Il a gravi les échelons rapidement."

Natural Translation

He climbed the rungs quickly.

Literal Translation

He climbed the levels quickly.

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