cisaille

shears

noun see-ZAY Rare

Origin: From Old French cisaille, from ciseau (chisel/scissors), from Latin caesus.

Usage Note

Cisaille (often plural: cisailles) refers to heavy-duty shears used for cutting metal, hedges, or thick sheet material - heavier than ordinary ciseaux (scissors). The plural cisailles is more common than the singular. Related: ciseau (chisel or scissors blade), ciseler (to chisel or engrave).

Examples

"Il coupe le grillage avec des cisailles."

Natural Translation

He cuts the wire mesh with shears.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

Le, La, Un, Du: French Articles Made Simple

Le, la, un, du, des made simple: pick the French article family by meaning, the form by gender, and dodge the two mistakes English speakers always make.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French Liaison Rules: When to Link Words (and Not To)

French liaison links a silent final consonant to the next vowel. Learn the obligatory, forbidden, and optional rules, plus the s→z and d→t sound shifts.

June 4, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

French Numbers 70, 80, 90 Made Simple

French numbers 70, 80, 90 are soixante-dix, quatre-vingts, and quatre-vingt-dix. Learn three build formulas to make any number 70-99 on the fly.

June 3, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

Tu vs Vous: When to Use Each in French

Tu vs vous in French: use tu for one friend, family, or child, and vous for strangers, elders, your boss, and any group. A clear etiquette guide.

June 3, 2026 6 min read