férule

See also: ferule

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ferula.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fe.ʁyl/

Noun

férule f (plural férules)

1. (botany) fennel, giant fennel (Ferula communis)

   Synonym: férule commune

2. (historical) ferule (instrument to slap children on the hand)
3. (Roman Catholicism) the crook of a bishop, abbot, or pope
4. (figuratively) bondage

Derived terms

• férule commune
• grande férule
• sous la férule de

Further reading

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

Anagrams

• fêlure
• reflue, reflué