torche

See also: torché

French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French torche, from Vulgar Latin *torca, from torqua, Classical Latin torques, from the verb torqueō (“to twist; to turn”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tɔʁʃ/

• Audio; “une torche”:

  (file)

Noun

torche f (plural torches)

1. torch (stick with flame at one end)

   Synonym: flambeau

Derived terms

• lampe torche

Related terms

• torchère
• torchette
• torchon

Verb

torche

1. inflection of torcher:
   1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
   2. second-person singular imperative

References

• Nouveau Petit Larousse illustré. Dictionnaire encyclopédique. Paris, Librairie Larousse, 1952, 146th edition
• Douglas Harper (2001–2025), “torche”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Further reading

• “torche”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• Hector

Middle English

Alternative forms

• torghe, torge, torch

Etymology

From Old French torche, from Vulgar Latin *torca.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɔrtʃ(ə)/, /ˈtordʒ(ə)/

Noun

torche (plural torches)

1. A long candle
2. A torch; a portable source of light
3. (figurative) A ray of light

Descendants

• English: torch

References

• “torch(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 12 April 2018.

Norman

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

torche f (plural torches)

1. (Jersey) a whack in the face

Old French

Alternative forms

• tourche
• torce, tourse
• torke (northern)
• torge

Etymology

From Vulgar Latin *torca (“coiled object”), from Latin torqua, variant of torquis.

Pronunciation

• (classical) IPA^(key): /ˈtɔɾt͡ʃə/, /ˈtɔɾd͡ʒə/, (northern) /ˈtɔɾkə/

Noun

torche oblique singular, f (oblique plural torches, nominative singular torche, nominative plural torches)

1. bundle (of sticks, hay, etc.)
2. torch (stick with flame at one end)

Descendants

• French: torche, (etymology 2) torque
• → Italian: torcia
• → Middle Dutch: tortse
  • Dutch: toorts
• → Middle English: torche, torghe, torge, torch
  • English: torch

References

• Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IX^e au XV^e siècle (1881) (tourse)
• Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IX^e au XV^e siècle (1881) (torche, supplement)
• “torche”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.