ardoises

Meanings

1. 1nounpluralrareregional

   Thin flat pieces of slate, especially as used for French roofs or as writing slates.

   Grammar: A plural borrowed from French; the singular ardoise is rare in English.

   Patterns

   • a roof of ardoises
   • ardoises on a roof

   The old farmhouse had a steep roof covered in gray ardoises.

   Photographs of the village show rows of ardoises shining after the rain.

   She collected ardoises from the quarry to use as garden markers.

2. 2nounpluralrareregional

   In French contexts, small slate boards used for writing or for displaying a menu.

   Grammar: Often appears in descriptions of French cafés, where a single board is an ardoise.

   Patterns

   • menus on ardoises
   • write on ardoises

   The bistro listed its specials on black ardoises by the door.

   Children in the old French school wrote their sums on ardoises.

Word forms

Common combinations

slate ardoises

The quarry produces fine slate ardoises for restoration work.

roof of ardoises

The chapel has a roof of ardoises that dates from the 1800s.

menu ardoises

The café hangs its menu ardoises outside each morning.

Synonyms and how they differ

slates

Slates is the everyday English word for the same thin stone tiles; ardoises is used only when the French context matters.

slate tiles

Slate tiles is a clearer general term, while ardoises suggests French roofing or a French menu board.

Word family

ardoise noun

The singular form, a single slate or writing board.

Commonly confused: ardoises or arduous?

Practice

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