entraîné

Entraîné is the past participle of the French verb entraîner and is used both as an adjective and as a past participle in compound tenses. As an adjective it describes someone or something that has undergone training or practice. As a past participle with the auxiliary avoir it can indicate that training or causation has occurred.

Etymology and sense: the term comes from en- plus traîner (to drag or pull); by extension, it acquired the sense of leading someone through training. The figurative development is “to bring someone through a process of training,” which in turn yields the modern adjective sense of being well trained or prepared.

Usage as an adjective: entraîné agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Examples: un athlète entraîné, une athlète entraînée, des athlètes entraînés. It can also describe proficiency in a skill when used with à: Il est entraîné à courir des marathons, Elle est entraînée à parler plusieurs langues.

Usage as a past participle: used with the auxiliary avoir to form compound tenses referring to something that training has caused or produced. Example: Ce programme a entraîné une amélioration des performances. The same participle functions in passive-like constructions and with pronouns that refer to the subject trained.

Related terms: entraînement (the noun meaning training or practice), s’entraîner (to train oneself), and entrainer (the verb itself with various senses including to train someone or to cause a consequence).

See also: entraîneur, entraîable, and other forms derived from entraîner.