lourd

Lourd is a French adjective meaning heavy or weighty. The masculine singular form is lourd, and the feminine singular form is lourde. It is used to describe physical heaviness as in un camion lourd (a heavy truck) and can also describe figurative weight, such as des responsabilités lourdes (heavy responsibilities). The word agrees with the noun it modifies and can function in attributive or predicative positions, including in idiomatic phrases like c’est lourd (that’s heavy) or c’est lourd à porter (that’s a heavy burden).

In toponymy and onomastics, Lourd appears as a component in some French place names and as a surname within French-speaking communities. In these uses, it generally traces back to descriptive origins related to landscape, weight, or burden associated with a locale or lineage.

The term should not be confused with Lourdes, a separate municipality in the Hautes-Pyrénées known for religious associations. Lourdes is a distinct name with its own etymology and geographic identity.

Usage notes: Lourd is common across registers of French and is productive in many expressions involving physical or figurative weight. It can form compound phrases describing tasks, situations, or atmospheres with a sense of substantial heaviness or intensity.