supplice

French

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin supplicium.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sy.plis/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -is

Noun

supplice m (plural supplices)

1. torture (especially a punishment resulting in death)

   Synonym: torture

   supplice de la roue ― the wheel, the breaking wheel

   supplice de la goutte d’eau ― Chinese water torture

   supplice de Tantale ― (literally) the punishment of Tantalus; (figuratively) frustration due to something being out of reach

   supplice du fouet ― whipping

   supplice de la marque ― branding

   supplice du carcan ― the pillory

   supplice du gibet ― hanging

2. torment (physical or mental)

   Synonym: torture

   J’ai une migraine, c’est un vrai supplice ! ― I have a migraine; it's absolute torture!

3. capital punishment

Derived terms

• supplicié
• supplicier

Further reading

• “supplice”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Latin

Noun

supplice

1. ablative singular of supplex