Usage Note
Pots-de-vin is the plural of pot-de-vin, literally 'pot of wine' — a historical allusion to covert gifts. It always appears in contexts of corruption and illegal payment. The singular un pot-de-vin is a bribe. Offering or accepting pots-de-vin is a criminal offence under French law (corruption active/passive).
Examples
"L'enquête a révélé des pots-de-vin versés aux élus."
Natural Translation
The investigation revealed bribes paid to elected officials.
Related Words
Explore French by topic