Échoués

Échoués is the plural form of échoué and can function as an adjective or as a noun phrase in French. In maritime usage, un navire échoué refers to a vessel that has run aground or become beached; therefore, les bateaux échoués are ships grounded on a coast or shore. When used as a noun, l’échoué (singular) or les échoués can designate people who have been shipwrecked or castaways, a sense that appears in nautical narratives, historical reports, or humanitarian contexts.

Beyond the literal sense, échoués also has a figurative meaning: something that has failed or not achieved its aims. For example, un projet échoué describes a project that did not succeed. The term thus covers both concrete situations (ships grounded, people stranded) and abstract situations (efforts that have collapsed).

Etymology and origin: the term derives from the verb échouer, itself rooted in nautical usage. The original meaning related to a vessel becoming stranded or stuck on a shore, and the word extended to describe failed ventures and, more broadly, unsuccessful outcomes.

Usage notes: échoués is common in descriptive prose, reportage, and literary writing. As a noun, it can convey a somber or dramatic tone and may be more frequent in specialized or historical contexts than in everyday speech. It is closely related to echouage (the act or result of running aground), épave (wreck), and naufrage (shipwreck).

See also: échouer, échouage, épave, naufrage, échec.