parpaing

French

Etymology

Probably from Vulgar Latin *perpetaneus, from Latin perpes (uninterrupted), or from a root *perpedaneum, from pes (foot) (cf. pedaneus).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /paʁ.pɛ̃/
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

parpaing m (plural parpaings)

  1. perpend stone, through stone
  2. (metonymic) breeze-block (building block)
    • 2007 February 19, Les Fatals Picards, “Mon père était tellement de gauche”‎[1]:
      Mon père était tellement de gauche que quand est tombé le mur de Berlin
      Il est parti chez Casto pour acheter des parpaings
      My father was so left-wing, that when the Berlin Wall fell
      He went to Castorama to buy some perpends

Adjective

parpaing (feminine parpaigne, masculine plural parpaings, feminine plural parpaignes)

  1. through (stone, ashlar)

Further reading