Combinée

Combinée is the feminine form of the French noun and adjective combiné, used to denote something that is made up of parts or functions brought together. In everyday language, it often appears in compound terms to describe devices, systems, or tools that integrate multiple features.

In sports, la combinée nordique, or Nordic combined, is a winter event that merges ski jumping and cross-country skiing. Athletes must excel in both techniques, and the jumping results typically determine the starting order for the cross-country portion (often via the Gundersen method). The overall winner is the competitor who crosses the finish line first in the cross-country race. The discipline features men’s and women’s events in various competitions, including world championships and the Olympic program.

In hardware, a clé combinée is a combination wrench that incorporates two wrench types on a single tool—usually an open-end end and a box-end end. This design allows quick adjustments and secure tightening without changing tools. Combinées are common in automotive, mechanical, and home repair kits and come in a range of metric and imperial sizes.

Beyond these, the term appears in broader French usage to describe anything that is “combined” or “multi-function,” such as un appareil combiné or une solution combinée, indicating integration of multiple components or capabilities. In technical and industrial contexts, combinée signals a composite or integrated nature rather than a single, isolated function.