instituteur

primary school teacher (male)

noun an-stee-tü-TEUR Less Common

Origin: Latin 'institutor' (one who establishes)

Usage Note

Instituteur refers specifically to a male teacher at the primary (école primaire) level; the female form is institutrice. The term is now somewhat old-fashioned — professeur des écoles is the official modern title used since the 1990 reform. Older speakers still use instituteur affectionately.

Examples

"L'instituteur explique la leçon aux élèves."

Natural Translation

The primary school teacher explains the lesson to the pupils.

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