vieux

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See also: Vieux

French

Alternative forms

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French vieulx, from Old French viel, from Vulgar Latin veclus, from Latin vetulus.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /vjø/
    • Audio(file)
  • Rhymes: -ø

Adjective

vieux (masculine singular before vowel vieil, feminine vieille, masculine plural vieux, feminine plural vieilles)

  1. old
    Synonym: âgé
    Antonyms: jeune, neuf, nouveau
    • 1862, Victor Hugo, Les misérables:
      Au temps de sa pire misère, il remarquait que les jeunes filles se retournaient quand il passait, et il se sauvait ou se cachait, la mort dans l’âme. Il pensait qu’elles le regardaient pour ses vieux habits et qu’elles en riaient, le fait est qu’elles le regardaient pour sa grâce et qu’elles en rêvaient.
      At the period of his most abject misery, he had observed that young girls turned round when he passed by, and he fled or hid, with death in his soul. He thought that they were staring at him because of his old clothes, and that they were laughing at them; the fact is, that they stared at him because of his grace, and that they dreamed of him.

Usage notes

  • When placed before a singular noun beginning with a vowel or mute h, vieux becomes vieil: vieil homme /vjɛ.j‿ɔm/. In the plural, vieux does not change and liaison occurs instead: vieux hommes /vjø.z‿ɔm/.
  • In the singular before et (“and”), vieux is normally used, which is perhaps the only case where liaison may occur (optionally) with singular vieux: un vieux et grand bateau. However, vieil is also possible (vieil et grand). The latter is now less common except in certain combinations; for example, one usually says un vieil et bon/cher ami.
  • Note un vieil ami (“a longstanding friend”) versus un ami âgé (“a friend who is old in age”).

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Louisiana Creole: vye, vyé

Noun

vieux m (plural vieux, feminine vieille)

  1. old person
  2. (slang) parents (when in the plural), father
    mes vieux ― my mom and dad
  3. old chap
    Synonym: mon vieux
    – Je ne veux pas t’empêcher de travailler, vieux. Je vois que tu es très occupé. ― I don't want to keep you from working, old chap. I see that you're very busy.

Derived terms

Related terms

See also

Further reading

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