légers

Légers is the masculine plural form of the French adjective léger, used to describe nouns that are light in weight, size, or intensity. It appears in a variety of contexts, from physical properties to figurative language, and it agrees in gender and number with the nouns it modifies.

Etymology and form: The word léger derives from Old French léger, which ultimately comes from Latin levis meaning "light" or "not heavy." In modern French, the feminine forms are légère (singular) and légères (plural), while the masculine singular is léger.

Usage and examples: Légers typically accompanies masculine plural nouns, as in des objets légers (light objects), des vêtements légers (light clothing), or des poids légers (light weights). It can also describe non-physical qualities, such as un ton léger (a light tone) or un sujet léger (a light/insubstantial subject). In culinary language, repas légers or plats légers denote meals that are light or low in calories; note that many food-related phrases use the feminine form, for example boissons légères.

Nuances: The adjective légers conveys not only physical lightness but also immediacy or ease, sometimes implying simplicity or lack of heaviness in effect or mood. It is contrasted with léger, which is singular, and with the feminine légères and légère for gender agreement. Although primarily an adjective, its use is restricted to modifying masculine plural nouns in its given form.

In summary, légers functions as a standard plural modifier in French, signaling lightness or mildness when paired with masculine plural nouns, while its feminine counterparts reflect the broader gendered agreement of the language.