rangée

Rangée is a feminine French noun meaning a line or row of objects arranged side by side, or a sequence in general. It can refer to a physical arrangement, such as a row of seats, a row of trees, or crops planted in parallel strips. It is also used more abstractly to denote a series of items in a list or a progression.

Etymology and usage notes: Rangée derives from the verb ranger, meaning to arrange or put in order, with the suffix -ée forming the noun for the result of an action. The term is commonly used across domains to describe orderly or aligned arrangements.

Contexts and examples: In agriculture, fields are described as having rangées de cultures or rangées de légumes. In urban and architectural contexts, a street may be described as having a rangée de maisons, or a building frontage as a single rangée of units. In theatres and public venues, a rangée refers to a horizontal line of seats. In military or ceremonial language, formations can be described as rangées or en rang, indicating a row or line of soldiers or participants.

Phrases and related terms: Common idioms include en rangée, meaning in a straight line or in a row. Related terms include ligne (line), file (a similar concept in French), and rang (rank or row), though rangée emphasizes the physical alignment of multiple units.

See also: Ligne, File, Rang.

Overall, rangée is a versatile term used to describe orderly arrangements in space or sequence, from agricultural plots to seating plans and ceremonial formations.