Debout

Debout is a French adjective and adverb meaning standing, upright, or on one’s feet. It describes a person, animal, or object in an upright position, or the act of standing when used adverbially. As an adjective, it is used with être to describe a subject’s state: “Elle est debout.” In phrases like “rester debout,” it can indicate remaining in a standing position: “Ils restent debout malgré la fatigue.” As an adverb, it can modify a verb, for example in contexts such as rising and continuing to stand. The term is typically contrasted with “assis,” meaning sitting.

Etymology and usage notes: Debout is the result of the construction “être debout,” meaning to be standing. It is not a standalone verb but a state descriptor that functions within sentences to express vertical position or readiness.

Political and cultural usage: In French politics, the term has been used as a rallying slogan and in party names, notably in Debout la République (later Debout la France), founded in 2008 by Nicolas Dupont-Aignan. The name and its variants convey a call to civic engagement, vigilance, and standing up for particular policies or values. Beyond politics, debout appears in literature, journalism, and media as a descriptive term for characters or scenes that depict a figure in an upright posture or a moment of arrival and readiness.

See also: standing, upright, French vocabulary related to posture. The word’s primary sense remains its literal meaning of being in a vertical, standing position, but it is also used symbolically in slogans and titles to evoke alertness and participation.