Word of the day: Piqûre
You may have heard this word quite a lot recently, but it has various different meanings.
Why do I need to know piqûre?
This word is on everyone's lips right now as France continues to ramp up its vaccine rollout.
What does it mean?
Piqûre is the informal word for an injection.
It's the equivalent of jab or shot in English: the conversational term being used to talk about the Covid-19 vaccine, while une injection is generally the word being used in news reports and formal settings.
In the tweet below, a grateful vaccine recipient says: "I will never forget this difficult year, but thanks to this painless little shot I can finally see the sky clearing."
Hier j'ai reçu ma première dose de #vaccin. Je n'oublierai jamais cette année difficile mais grâce à cette petite piqûre indolore je vois enfin le ciel se dégager. Merci à @GuillaumeRozier et @ViteMaDose_off ainsi que tous ceux qui participent de près ou de loin à la vaccination.
— Hergé🚊 (@gautierromain) May 21, 2021
However, piqûre is also the word for a sting or a bite from an insect or a plant. Une piqûre d'abeille is a bee sting, while une piqûre de moustique is a mosquito bite.
Finally, in sewing, la piqûre means the stitching or the thread on a piece of clothing.
Use it like this
Ma mère a reçu sa première piqûre - My mother has had her first jab
C'était rapide, la piqûre ne fait pas mal du tout - It was quick, the injection didn't hurt at all
Je me suis fait piquer par une guêpe au bord de la piscine - I was stung by a wasp by the pool
La piqûre de sa chemise était décousue - The stitching on his shirt had come undone
Synonyms
injection - injection
point - sewing stitch
Comments
See Also
Why do I need to know piqûre?
This word is on everyone's lips right now as France continues to ramp up its vaccine rollout.
What does it mean?
Piqûre is the informal word for an injection.
It's the equivalent of jab or shot in English: the conversational term being used to talk about the Covid-19 vaccine, while une injection is generally the word being used in news reports and formal settings.
In the tweet below, a grateful vaccine recipient says: "I will never forget this difficult year, but thanks to this painless little shot I can finally see the sky clearing."
Hier j'ai reçu ma première dose de #vaccin. Je n'oublierai jamais cette année difficile mais grâce à cette petite piqûre indolore je vois enfin le ciel se dégager. Merci à @GuillaumeRozier et @ViteMaDose_off ainsi que tous ceux qui participent de près ou de loin à la vaccination.
— Hergé🚊 (@gautierromain) May 21, 2021
However, piqûre is also the word for a sting or a bite from an insect or a plant. Une piqûre d'abeille is a bee sting, while une piqûre de moustique is a mosquito bite.
Finally, in sewing, la piqûre means the stitching or the thread on a piece of clothing.
Use it like this
Ma mère a reçu sa première piqûre - My mother has had her first jab
C'était rapide, la piqûre ne fait pas mal du tout - It was quick, the injection didn't hurt at all
Je me suis fait piquer par une guêpe au bord de la piscine - I was stung by a wasp by the pool
La piqûre de sa chemise était décousue - The stitching on his shirt had come undone
Synonyms
injection - injection
point - sewing stitch
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