piège

Piège is a noun in French meaning a device or situation designed to capture, ensnare, or trap something or someone. The term originates from Old French piège, with an uncertain ultimate origin. In hunting, pest control, and wildlife management, a piège refers to a contraption or arrangement designed to capture animals; examples include mousetraps, spring snares, cage traps, and pit traps. Some traps are lethal; others are non-lethal and used to relocate animals. The use of traps is often regulated for safety, animal welfare, and environmental protection, with rules governing placement, target species, protection of non-target species, and required licenses.

In everyday language, piège also denotes a deception or a situation designed to deceive or entrap someone, such as a ruse, ambush, or misleading proposal. Phrases like "c'est un piège" signal that a course of action or environment may lead to trouble. Metaphorical pièges appear in politics, media, and social interactions.

Common types include physical traps—mousetraps, snares, cage traps, and pit traps; designed to immobilize or capture. Ambush or covert traps, such as booby traps or hidden deterrents, are often illegal or dangerous. Social or linguistic traps involve misleading offers or misinformation.

See also: leurre, embûche, dispositif de piégeage.