affres

French

Etymology

Old French affre, afre Old Occitan affre (“horror”), from Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐍆𐍂𐍃 (aifrs), from Proto-Germanic *aibraz (“horrible, terrible”).

Noun

affres f pl (plural only)

1. (plural only) torment, torture, pain
2. (plural only) throes

Usage notes

• Always in the form affres de: les affres de l'humiliation "the pain of humiliation".

Further reading

• “affres” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).