pare-balles

bulletproof

adjective par-BAL Rare

Usage Note

Pare-balles is a compound adjective formed from parer (to ward off) and balles (bullets), and it is invariable — its form never changes for gender or number. It modifies nouns like gilet (vest) to give gilet pare-balles (bulletproof vest). The hyphenated compound follows the same pattern as pare-brise (windscreen) and pare-chocs (bumper).

Examples

"Il portait un gilet pare-balles sous sa veste."

Natural Translation

He was wearing a bulletproof vest under his jacket.

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