combinées

Combinée is a French term used as both an adjective and a feminine noun. The base verb is combiner, meaning to join or combine. The plural combinées covers several distinct uses across domains, and the meaning depends on the context in which it appears.

In agriculture, a combinée is a combine harvester, a single field machine that performs harvesting, threshing and cleaning in one operation. The device, often referred to as a moissonneuse-batteuse combinée, represents a key development in mechanized farming by integrating multiple tasks in a single pass.

In sports, particularly alpine skiing and Nordic disciplines, the term combinée denotes a competition that combines two or more disciplines into one event. The feminine form combinée is used for the event name, while combinées can refer to multiple such events or editions.

In medicine and pharmacology, pilules combinées or contraceptifs combinés describe combined oral contraceptives that contain two hormones. The broader use of combinées can also describe medications that pair two or more active ingredients in a single preparation.

In machinery and woodworking, a machine combinée or scie combinée refers to a multi-function tool that integrates several operations (such as cutting and shaping) into one unit. This usage emphasizes versatility and space-saving design.

Etymology and usage: the term derives from the verb combiner; gender and plural form follow the noun it modifies. Combinée can be masculine or feminine in agreement (combiné vs. combinée), and combinées serves as the feminine plural. The precise meaning is determined by field—agriculture, sport, medicine, or machinery.