marron/ma.ʁɔ̃/
adjective / noun / prop.n. · A2 · Frequency 5730
adjective
Meanings
brown
Adjective used to describe color, commonly used to describe the color of objects.
chestnut (noun)
Noun referring to the chestnut, commonly used as a food name.
Examples
Elle a choisi une écharpe marron pour l'hiver.
She chose a brown scarf for winter.
La porte marron contraste avec les murs blancs.
The brown door contrasts with the white walls.
Mon vélo marron est attaché devant la bibliothèque.
My brown bicycle is locked in front of the library.
Collocations
- un manteau marrona brown coat
Common mistakes
Des chaussures marrons sont exposées.
Des chaussures marron sont exposées.
As a color adjective, marron is invariable, so it remains marron after a plural noun.
Related words
synonymbrunbrown (color/colour)
synonymchâtainchestnut, chestnut-coloured, brown
adjective
Meanings
feral, wild
Typically used to describe a slave or animal that has escaped and returned to a wild state.
Examples
Dans ce récit historique, un esclave marron guidait les fugitifs vers les montagnes.
In this historical account, a fugitive slave led the escapees toward the mountains.
Le cheval marron vivait depuis des années dans la forêt, loin des écuries.
The feral horse had lived in the forest for years, far from the stables.
Après sa fuite, le chien est devenu marron et ne supporte plus la vie domestique.
After escaping, the dog became feral and could no longer tolerate domestic life.
Collocations
- un esclave marrona fugitive slave
Common mistakes
marron
marron (couleur)
‘marron’ can mean both the color and the escaped/feral state; context is important to distinguish.
Related words
synonymsauvagewild, untouched, unspoiled, pristine; untamed, not domesticated (often used for wild alternatives of cultivated plants or domestic animals)
nounmasculine
Meanings
horse-chestnut
Refers to the seed of the horse-chestnut tree, commonly used in horticulture and botany.
chestnut; chestnut brown
Refers to the edible chestnut and the color named after it.
a token used as a control of the presence of someone at his post
A token used to record the presence of personnel at their post.
firecracker (on a rocket)
Refers to the firecracker component in a fireworks device.
punch (with the fist)
Informal usage meaning to strike with the fist.
head (informal)
Informal term for a person's head.
Examples
Un marron est tombé du marronnier après le coup de vent.
A horse-chestnut fell from the horse-chestnut tree after the gust of wind.
Elle a choisi un manteau marron pour l'automne.
She chose a chestnut-brown coat for autumn.
Le responsable a récupéré le marron de chaque employé à la fin du service.
The supervisor collected each employee's token at the end of the shift.
Le feu d'artifice a envoyé un marron qui a éclaté très haut.
The fireworks launched a firecracker that exploded high in the air.
Collocations
- fruit marronhorse-chestnut fruit
- couleur marronchestnut color
- donner un marronto give a punch
Common mistakes
Elle porte un manteau maron.
Elle porte un manteau marron.
The lemma marron contains a double r; learners often omit one r and write maron.
Related words
synonymchâtaignechestnut
nounmasculine
Meanings
chestnut, the fruit of the chestnut tree
Common noun referring to the fruit of the chestnut tree, frequently used in food and nature contexts.
maroon
Historical term referring to slaves or animals who have escaped to live freely, commonly used in historical and anthropological contexts.
Examples
Un marron est tombé sur le trottoir pendant la promenade.
A chestnut fell onto the sidewalk during the walk.
J'ai ramassé un marron brillant près du vieux marronnier.
I picked up a shiny chestnut near the old horse-chestnut tree.
Le marron que tu as trouvé peut servir à une décoration d'automne.
The chestnut you found can be used for an autumn decoration.
Collocations
- un marron glacéa candied chestnut
Common mistakes
J’ai mangé un maron.
J’ai mangé un marron.
The noun marron, meaning a chestnut, is spelled with two r’s, not one.
Related words
synonymchâtaignechestnut
synonymfugitiffugitive
antonymesclaveslave
prop.n.masculine
Meanings
a French surname, Marron
Examples
Marron a présenté son nouveau projet à l'équipe.
Marron presented his new project to the team.
Le courrier est adressé à Marron, au bureau de poste central.
The mail is addressed to Marron at the central post office.
Marron sera présent à la réunion de lundi.
Marron will be present at Monday's meeting.
Collocations
- la famille Marronthe Marron family
- le nom de Marronthe surname Marron
- Marron est un nom françaisMarron is a French surname
Common mistakes
Marron est une couleur.
Marron est un nom propre.
Marron as a proper noun should not be confused with the common noun or color term.
Related words
synonymnom de famillesurname