trompe-la-mort

\tʁɔ̃p.la.mɔʁ\

/\tʁɔ̃p.la.mɔʁ\/ noun

The verdict

“trompe-la-mort” is uncommon French (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency French
14
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Personne que la mort semble épargner malgré un âge très avancé, une maladie grave ou de grands dangers.

Corpus desk

Index FR-trompe-la-mort · trompe-la-mort · French

trompe-la-mort · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 14 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "T" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for trompe-la-mort
PropertyValue
Headwordtrompe-la-mort
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\tʁɔ̃p.la.mɔʁ\
Letters14
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Longue queue: rang de « trompe-la-mort » en français

trompe-la-mortsiège au-delà des 100.000 formes les plus fréquentes du français, dans la traîne du lexique spécialisé ou peu usité.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

trompe-la-mort is uncommon French outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed \tʁɔ̃p.la.mɔʁ\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for trompe-la-mort in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular French conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

No explicit etymology string is stored for this entry, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct French form is trompe-la-mort, spelled T-R-O-M-P-E---L-A---M-O-R-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Personne que la mort semble épargner malgré un âge très avancé, une maladie grave ou de grands dangers.
  2. 2
    Personne qui accomplit des actes dangereux au risque de se tuer.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how trompe-la-mort appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. On les appelait parfois les die hards, les trompe-la-mort. Sexagénaires ventripotents ou septuagénaires replets, ils se déguisaient pour ressembler aux jeunes gens qu’ils avaient été : canotiers de paille et vestes en madras, un peu risibles, attendrissants et encombrants.
  2. Tous les Trompe-la-mort fin ronds défoncés, titubant dans tous les coins de village depuis quatre jours. Une foiridon phénoménale !…

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "trompe-la-mort"?
"trompe-la-mort" is spelled T-R-O-M-P-E---L-A---M-O-R-T. The IPA pronunciation is \tʁɔ̃p.la.mɔʁ\.
What does "trompe-la-mort" mean?
As a noun, "trompe-la-mort" means: Personne que la mort semble épargner malgré un âge très avancé, une maladie grave ou de grands dangers.
How do you pronounce "trompe-la-mort"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "trompe-la-mort" is \tʁɔ̃p.la.mɔʁ\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "trompe-la-mort" come from?
"trompe-la-mort" is a French word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list