domaine

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A wine estate or vineyard, especially one in France that produces its own wine.

   Grammar: Countable: a domaine, two domaines. Often used in names: Domaine Leflaive.

   Patterns

   • a domaine in somewhere
   • the domaine produces something

   We visited a small domaine in Burgundy that makes excellent white wine.

   The domaine has been owned by the same family for five generations.

   This bottle comes from a famous domaine in the Rhône Valley.

2. 2nouncountableformalliterary

   A field of activity, knowledge, or control; a formal or literary way to say domain.

   Grammar: Countable and formal: the domaine of science. In everyday English, use 'domain' instead.

   Patterns

   • the domaine of something
   • within the domaine of something

   Questions of taste lie outside the domaine of strict science.

   She is an expert in the domaine of international law.

Word forms

Common combinations

a wine domaine

They bought a wine domaine in southern France.

a family domaine

This is a family domaine that sells most of its wine locally.

the domaine of

That topic is outside the domaine of this committee.

visit a domaine

Tourists can visit a domaine and taste the wines.

Synonyms and how they differ

estate

The normal English word for a winery property; use it when you do not need the French flavor.

winery

Focuses on the place where wine is made rather than the whole property.

domain

The standard English spelling for the 'field of activity' sense; 'domaine' is a French borrowing.

Word family

domain noun

The English form meaning an area of knowledge or control, or a website address.

Commonly confused: domaine or domain?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “domaine”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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