élèves

Élève is a French noun meaning a learner or pupil, particularly in primary and secondary education. It designates students enrolled in schools such as elementary schools, collèges, and lycées. In higher education, the term étudiant is typically used, with the feminine form etudiante.

The word élève derives from the verb élever, meaning to raise or bring up, reflecting the idea of someone educated under a teacher’s guidance. In writing, the gender of a single élève is indicated by the article (un élève for a male student, une élève for a female student) while the spelling remains the same.

In practice, élève is used across Francophone countries to refer to individuals at early and middle stages of formal education. The plural form is élèves. Different education systems may use local terms for school levels, but the concept of the élève as a learner within a school framework remains common.

Within classrooms, the term emphasizes the student’s role and status as a learner under supervision. Phrases such as les élèves de la classe or un groupe d’élèves are frequently encountered in educational contexts, administrative documents, and media discussions about schooling.