larrièretrain

Larrièretrain is not a standard English term; in French, the usual spellings and uses divide by sense. The most common form is l’arrière-train, referring to the hindquarters or the rear part of a person or animal. In zoology and everyday language, l’arrière-train denotes the posterior region, including the hips, rump, and surrounding tissues. In humans, it can be used descriptively to mean the buttocks or rear area, and may appear in veterinary or anatomical descriptions as well.

In automotive and mechanical contexts, the similar-sounding phrase train arrière is the conventional French term for the rear axle assembly and its suspension, wheels, and related drivetrain components. It is a technical expression used to discuss the rear suspension layout, handling characteristics, or faults, particularly in front- or rear-wheel-drive designs. The counterpart for the front is train avant.

The unhyphenated form larrièretrain is not standard in French dictionaries and is generally considered nonstandard or a typographical variant. Standard usage favors l’arrière-train for the anatomy sense and train arrière for the vehicle sense, with train avant used for the front.

See also: Hindquarters, Rear end, Posterior, Rear axle, Vehicle suspension.