échafaud

French

Etymology

Alteration of (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old French chafaud, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl]  *catafalicum, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Ancient Greek κατά- (katá-) + (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin fala (“tower”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /e.ʃa.fo/

Noun

échafaud m (plural échafauds)

1. scaffold (elevated platform on which a criminal is executed)
   • 1829, Victor Hugo, Le Dernier Jour d’un condamné

     Quand ma tête aura été coupée, qu’est-ce que cela me fait qu’on en coupe d’autres ? Est-ce que vraiment j’ai pu penser ces folies ? Jeter bas l’échafaud après que j’y aurai monté !

     When my head has been cut off, what do I care if others' are cut off? Could I really think such crazy thoughts? Throw down the scaffold after I'd got up!

See also

• chauffe-eau

Further reading

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