L’expression (en. The expression)
/lɛks.pʁe.sjɔ̃/
Meaning & Definition
EnglishFrench
noun
A way of formulating or communicating a thought.
Her expression was full of joy.
Son expression était pleine de joie.
A set of words conveying an idea or feeling.
This expression is commonly used in French.
Cette expression est couramment utilisée en français.
A sign, symbol, or manifestation of an idea.
Art is an expression of human creativity.
L'art est une expression de la créativité humaine.
Etymology
From the Latin 'expressio', which comes from 'exprimere' meaning 'to express'.
Common Phrases and Expressions
the idiomatic expression
Expression whose meaning cannot be understood literally.
l'expression idiomatique
the facial expression
Manifestation of emotions on the face.
l'expression faciale
the artistic expression
Way of communicating ideas through art.
l'expression artistique
Related Words
to express
To make something known or to inform about something.
exprimer
expressionism
An artistic and literary movement that emphasizes the expression of emotions.
expressionnisme
lack of expression
Lack of expression, absence of emotional manifestation.
inexpression
Slang Meanings
A familiar way of saying something.
One should avoid taking expressions too literally.
Il faut éviter de prendre des expressions trop littérales.
Used to describe a very marked reaction.
His face showed a surprising expression.
Sa tête a montré une expression surprenante.