Repaire

Repaire is a French noun meaning a lair, den, or hiding place, especially for wild animals. It can also refer to a place of refuge or a concealed base for people, such as criminals or rebels. In literary use, repaire conveys a sense of seclusion, organization, or strategic shelter, and it appears in historical or narrative descriptions of camps or ambush sites. The word can be used figuratively to indicate a secure or well-hidden location.

In English-language contexts, repaire is rarely used except in translations or scholarly works that preserve the original French term. When translated, it is typically rendered as lair, den, hideout, or retreat.

The modern French closest synonym for a reference point is repère, which denotes a landmark, index, or benchmark. Repaire and repère are related historically but now serve different purposes in everyday French.

Examples: The fox returned to its repaire under the ruined wall. The band gathered in a secret repaire to plan their movement. The fortress served as the repaire of the rebels for years.

See also: repère, lair, den, hideout, retreat, fortress.

References: French dictionaries such as Le Petit Robert or CNRTL entries for repaire.