gâchis

mess, waste

noun gah-SHEE Rare

Origin: from 'gâcher' (to spoil, to waste mortar), of Germanic origin

Usage Note

Gâchis is masculine, invariable (the final -s does not change in plural), and covers both a physical mess (quel gâchis dans cette pièce!) and a figurative waste (c'est un gâchis de talent). The related verb gâcher also means to mix mortar, so the construction sense of 'botched work' predates the general sense of waste.

Examples

"Quel gâchis de laisser tout ça pourrir."

Natural Translation

What a waste to let all that rot.

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