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vitrail

stained-glass window

noun vee-TRAH-ee Rare

Usage Note

Vitrail refers specifically to the leaded stained-glass windows found in churches and cathedrals; the irregular plural is vitraux (vee-TROH), which learners must memorise. The craftsman who makes them is a maître verrier. The word is inseparable from Gothic architecture in French cultural discourse.

Examples

"Les vitraux de la cathédrale sont magnifiques."

Natural Translation

The stained-glass windows of the cathedral are magnificent.

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