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sol
/sɔl/
ground
Le chat dort sur le sol.
The cat is sleeping on the ground.
neutral
The solid surface of the Earth; the ground.
Il a marché sur le sol mouillé.
He walked on the wet ground.
Commonly used in everyday contexts to refer to the floor or earth's surface.
neutral
The floor of a room or building.
Le sol de la cuisine est en carrelage.
The kitchen floor is tiled.
Often used in domestic or architectural contexts.
technical
In music, the fifth note of the diatonic scale.
La mélodie commence sur la note sol.
The melody starts on the note G.
Part of the solfège system (do, ré, mi, fa, sol, la, si).
technical
In chemistry, the solid state of matter.
L'eau se transforme en sol à basse température.
Water turns into a solid at low temperatures.
Opposite of 'liquide' (liquid) and 'gaz' (gas).
Collocations
sol mouilléwet groundsol carrelétiled floorsol en terredirt floorsol fermesolid groundsol instableunstable ground
Pro Tip
Common Mistakes
Do not confuse 'sol' (ground/floor) with 'soleil' (sun) or 'solution' (solution). Context usually clarifies the meaning.
Gold Rule
When to use 'sol'
'Sol' is used for physical surfaces you walk on. For abstract meanings like 'soil' (earth), 'terre' is more common. In music, 'sol' is the note G.
Word Origin
From Old French 'sol' (ground, soil), from Latin 'solum' (bottom, ground, soil), from Proto-Indo-European '*sol-' (whole, solid). Related to 'sole' (bottom of the foot) and 'solide' (solid).
Usage Notes
In everyday speech, 'sol' is used for both indoor floors and outdoor ground. In music, it refers to the note G. Avoid confusion with 'sol' as an abbreviation for 'solution' in chemistry contexts.
Word Breakdown
sol
ground/floor
rootDictionnaire Français-Anglais