aveugle

Aveugle is a French term that functions as both an adjective and a noun. As an adjective, it denotes the state of blindness or the lack of sight in objects, situations, or people. As a noun, aveugle refers to a person who is blind, with the masculine form un aveugle and the feminine form une aveugle.

Usage and grammar: The adjective agrees with the noun in gender and number, for example, un homme aveugle, une femme aveugle, des personnes aveugles. The feminine form is spelled the same as the masculine, though pronunciation and context indicate gender. The related medical term for the condition is cécité, and the field of study or care is ophthalmology.

Related terms and distinctions: Malvoyant denotes partial loss of vision, while non-voyant is sometimes used to describe a blind person in a more formal or respectful way. In everyday speech, many prefer person-first language (une personne aveugle) or identity-first language (un aveugle) depending on context and preference.

Accessibility and culture: People who are blind rely on tools such as white canes, guide dogs, Braille, and assistive technologies including screen readers and speech synthesis. Laws and guidelines in French-speaking regions promote accessibility in education, public services, and employment. In literature and media, aveugle appears both as a literal condition and as a metaphor for lack of perception.