lenvers

Lenvers is a term most commonly encountered in French, where the standard noun form is l'envers, meaning the reverse side or the back of something. In everyday use, it denotes the surface not intended to be visible, such as the opposite of the fabric’s right side, which is referred to as l’endroit. The phrase à l’envers is used to describe turning something inside out or doing something backwards.

Etymology and form: Lenvers derives from the Old French envers, formed from en- plus vers, and has historically appeared in various spellings. In modern French, the preferred spelling is l’envers with the elided article; lenvers without the apostrophe is much less common and is typically seen only as a surname or in older texts.

Usage and examples: In textiles and garment making, l’envers denotes the concealed face of material. The expression l’envers du décor is widely used metaphorically to refer to the hidden or behind-the-scenes aspects of a situation. The adverbial phrase à l’envers commonly means turned inside out or reversed.

Cultural and linguistic notes: While lenvers may appear in some historical or stylistic writings, it is not standard in contemporary French. In English-language contexts, lenvers is rarely used; translations usually render it as “reverse side,” “back,” or “the reverse.”

See also: l’envers; l’endroit; à l’envers; l’envers du décor. The concept of the reverse side is also contrasted with the front side, or l’endroit, in discussions of fabrics and design.