Is « approbation » masculine or feminine?

« approbation » is feminine. You say l'approbation.

Article forms

With the definite article l'approbation
With the indefinite article une approbation
With the partitive article de l'approbation

Plural

The plural is approbations (les approbations). A noun keeps its gender in the plural; only the article stops showing it.

Why the gender

approbation ends in -tion. Nouns ending in -tion are usually feminine, so approbation follows the pattern. The full rules by ending cover every common suffix.

Related words

Other common nouns that end the same way:

Common questions

Is « approbation » masculine or feminine?

« approbation » is feminine. You say l'approbation.

« l'approbation » hides the gender. Is « approbation » masculine or feminine?

It is feminine. The article shortens to « l'approbation » for both genders, but you say une approbation, not un approbation, and adjectives take the feminine form.


Check another word, or read the complete guide to French noun gender.