bâtiment

French

Etymology

From Middle French bastiment, from Old French bastiment (“act of building, fortification”), from bastir (“to build, make, sew”), of Germanic origin, from Old Low Frankish *bastjan (“to darn, weave, treat hemp threads”), from Proto-Germanic *bastjanan (“to bind with a thread, lace”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *bhas- (“to bind”). Cognate with Old High German besten (“to sew, weave, lace”), Old English bæst (“bast”). More at bast.

Pronunciation

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Noun

bâtiment m. (plural bâtiments)

1. building, edifice
2. (nautical) ship or boat
3. (nautical, military) warship

Synonyms

• (watercraft): navire, bateau
• (warship): navire, vaisseau

Related terms

• bâtir