réduites

Réduites is the feminine plural of the French adjective réduit, meaning reduced or diminished. In contemporary French, réduites mainly functions as an inflected form agreeing with feminine plural nouns (for example, formes réduites). When used as a noun, the feminine form réduction is typically more common in modern usage; réduites as a standalone noun is largely archaic or regional and appears mainly in historical texts.

Historical and specialized senses

In historical or regional contexts, réduites can designate places or communities that are set apart or enclosed. For example, in some old writings the term could be used to refer to an enclosure, a cloistered settlement, or a fortified area associated with a particular site or group. The standard term for a fortified inner defense is typically the masculine réduit, with the plural réduits; the feminine réduite(s) appears only in specialized, archaic, or regional spellings.

Modern usage

Today, réduites as a standalone noun is uncommon outside of quotations or scholarly works. Most contemporary references use either réduit (as a masculine noun or adjective) or réduction (as the abstract noun for reduction). When reducing or condensing is described, the phrase formes réduites or version réduite is preferred.

Etymology

From the verb réduire, itself from Latin reducere, meaning to lead back or to diminish. The suffix -ite in French often yields nominal or adjectival forms.

See also

Réduit, réduction, versions réduites, réductions (in various specialized senses).