eau

Etymology

From Proto-Ngero *i-om (compare Malalamai yu), although the precise form of this word, like Kove and Lusi veao, is unexplained.^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈeɑu/, [ˈe̯ɑu̯]

Noun

eau

1. water

References

• Steve Gallagher, Peirce Baehr, Bariai Grammar Sketch (2005)

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French eau, eaue, from Old French ewe, euwe, egua (“water”), from Latin aqua (“water”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ekʷeh₂ (“water, flowing water”). Cognate with Old English ēa (“flowing water, stream, river”). More at ea.

See cognates in regional languages in France : Angevin ieau, Bourbonnais-Berrichon aigue or aïe, Bourguignon eâ, Champenois ève or 'aive, Franc-Comtois âve, Gallo iau, Lorrain aoue, Norman iâo, Orléanais iau, Picard ieu, Poitevin-Saintongeais ève, Franco-Provençal égoua and éva, Occitan aiga, Catalan aigua, Corsican acqua.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /o/

• Audio; “de l'eau”:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -o
• Homophones: au, aux, aulx, eaux, haut, hauts, ho, o, ô, oh, os

Noun

eau f (plural eaux)

1. water, a liquid that is transparent, colorless, odorless, and tasteless in its pure form, the primary constituent of lakes, rivers, seas, and oceans

   Il buvait un verre d’eau fraîche.

   He drank a cool glass of water.

   L’eau de mer et l’eau de rivière n’ont pas la même teneur en sel et n’abritent donc pas les mêmes poissons.

   Sea water and river water do not have the same salt content and thus do not harbor the same fish.

   • 1951, First Congress on Irrigation and Drainage. Transactions, volume 2, page 149:

     L’alteration de l′eau du lac par l’effect des courants du fond vers la surface semble s’expliquer par le fait, que le courant à densité avait une temperature plus élevée que les couches inférieures et moyennes du lac.

     The alteration of the lake's water by the effect of the current from the bottom to the surface seems to be explained by the fact that the density current had a higher temperature than the inferior and medium layers of the lake.

2. In particular, rain

   Si le vent dure, nous aurons de l’eau.

   If the wind persists, we will have rain.

3. (chemistry) the chemical compound with molecular formula H₂O existing in the form of ice, liquid water or steam

   L’eau se durcit par le froid et se vaporise par la chaleur.

   Water hardens with cold and vaporises with heat.

4. Natural liquid quantities or expanses

   Le soir, ils se baignaient dans les eaux du lac Titicaca.

   In the evening, they bathed in the waters of Lake Titicaca.

5. Fluids such as sweat, formed and found in the body of man or animal

   Les vésicatoires font des ampoules pleines d’eau.

   Vesicants make blisters full of fluid.

   L’eau m’en vint à la bouche.

   That made my mouth water.

   Il s’est échauffé à courir, il est tout en eau.

   He warmed up to run. He's all sweaty.

Further reading

• “eau”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Alternative forms

• eaue

Etymology

From Old French euwe, ewe, egua, from Latin aqua.

Pronunciation

This entry needs pronunciation information. If you are familiar with the IPA then please add some!

Noun

eau f (plural eaus or eaux)

1. water

Pronoun

eau (Puter)

1. Alternative form of jau (“I”)