observation
French, noun/ɔp.sɛʁ.va.sjɔ̃/
observation is spelled O-B-S-E-R-V-A-T-I-O-N (11 letters) and appears 18 times per million words in written French, the 4,136th most frequent French word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). Observation is a French feminine noun meaning “observation (careful or controlled attention or consideration)” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The French Wiktionary (Wiktionnaire) defines it as “Action d’observer ce qui est prescrit par quelque loi ou ce que l’on a promis à quelqu’un”.
What does observation mean in English?
noun
- 1
feminineobservation (careful or controlled attention or consideration)
- 2
feminineobservation (the result of such attention or consideration)
- 3
feminineobservation (process of detached, objective examination)
- 4
feminineobservation (the result of one of the above-described actions expressed in or rendered into words for the purpose of dissemination)
- 5
feminineobservance of (adherence or conformity to) rules, conventions, laws, etc.
- 6
feminineobservance (performance) of religious rituals, customs, traditions, etc.
- 7
femininework shadowing.
Source: English Wiktionary, French section, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0).
How French dictionaries define it
noun: 1. Action d’observer ce qui est prescrit par quelque loi ou ce que l’on a promis à quelqu’un. 2. Action de regarder avec attention, de surveiller. 3. Ce que l'on aperçoit ainsi. 4. Surveillance attentive à laquelle on soumet des personnes ou des animaux en vue d'établir un diagnostic.
The definition in the French Wiktionary (Wiktionnaire), in French.
Source: French Wiktionary (Wiktionnaire), dump of September 1, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org.
Forms of observation
- observations plural
Source: English Wiktionary and French Wiktionary (Wiktionnaire) (dumps of September 2, 2026 and September 1, 2026).
How do you pronounce observation?
- /ɔp.sɛʁ.va.sjɔ̃/
- \ɔp.sɛʁ.va.sjɔ̃\
- [y.n̪‿ob̥.sɛʁ.va.sjɔ̃]
Sources: English Wiktionary, French Wiktionary (Wiktionnaire) (dumps of September 2, 2026 and September 1, 2026); recordings from Wikimedia Commons.
English words that translate to observation
Source: the translation tables of the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026.
How common is observation in French?
observation appears 18 times per million words in written French.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).