déroulée

Déroulée is the feminine form of the past participle of the French verb dérouler. It is used primarily as an adjective meaning unrolled, unfolded, or laid out, and can describe something that has been extended or spread out. For example, une nappe déroulée sur la table (the tablecloth laid out) or une pâte déroulée (rolled-out dough). It can also be used in a figurative sense to refer to a narrative or sequence that has been unfolded, such as une intrigue déroulée au fil du roman.

In grammatical terms, déroulée agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies. It may also appear in compound tenses with the feminine subject, for instance: La nappe a été déroulée. The feminine past participle is typically optional in the sense that the form depends on the voice and the object preceding the verb when used with avoir.

Étymologie: déroulée derives from dérouler, formed with the prefix dé- added to rouler, meaning to roll or unroll. The sense encompasses both physical unrolling and the figurative unfolding of events or information.

Usage notes: the masculine counterpart is déroulé, and the related noun is déroulement, which denotes the unfolding or sequence of events, plan, or outline. While déroulée is common as an adjective (la carte déroulée), the noun usage more frequently favors déroulement for the sense of progression or sequence.

See also: déroulé, déroulement, déroulage.