Skip to content

baliverne

nonsense, twaddle

noun bah-lee-VEHRN Rare

Usage Note

Baliverne almost always appears in the plural (des balivernes) and means idle, worthless talk or stories. It is mildly dated and literary in register, though still understood. Dire des balivernes means 'to talk rubbish'. A close informal synonym is des bêtises or des sottises.

Examples

"Ne crois pas ces balivernes."

Natural Translation

Don't believe this nonsense.

Explore French by topic