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B1 noun 9 min read

une pâleur

Examples Notes & Tips une pâleur in 30 Seconds
Explanation une pâleur in your Level:
At the A1 level, you likely know the basic colors like 'blanc' (white). 'Une pâleur' is a bit more advanced, but you can think of it as the noun form of 'pâle'. At this level, you should focus on the fact that it describes someone who doesn't have much color in their face. Imagine someone who is a little bit sick or very scared. You might see this word in very simple stories or when talking about how someone looks today. It is a feminine word, so we say 'la pâleur'. Even if you don't use it yourself yet, recognizing it when someone says 'Il a une pâleur' will help you understand that they are talking about someone looking white or light-colored in the face. It's like saying 'the paleness'. Just remember: 'pâle' is the adjective (He is pale), and 'pâleur' is the noun (He has a paleness).
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At the A2 level, you are starting to describe people's physical appearance and health in more detail. 'Une pâleur' is a useful word for this. You might use it when talking to a doctor or describing a character in a simple book. For example, 'Elle a une pâleur inquiétante' (She has a worrying paleness). At this stage, you should notice that 'pâleur' is often used with the verb 'avoir' (to have) or 'remarquer' (to notice). You can also use it to describe the light, like 'la pâleur du matin' (the paleness of the morning). This helps you move beyond just saying 'il fait jour' (it is daytime) to describing the quality of the light. Remember that adjectives that describe 'pâleur' must be feminine, like 'une pâleur extrême'. This is a good way to practice your noun-adjective agreement.
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At the B1 level, you are expected to understand and use more nuanced vocabulary to express emotions and physical states. 'Une pâleur' is a perfect example of this. You can use it to describe the physical effect of a strong emotion like fear or surprise: 'Une pâleur soudaine a envahi son visage' (A sudden paleness spread over his face). You are also becoming more aware of the different registers of French. 'Pâleur' is slightly more descriptive and formal than just saying 'il est tout blanc'. It allows you to talk about the *intensity* of the color. You might also encounter it in more complex reading materials, such as newspaper articles describing a person's reaction to an event or a literary description of a landscape. Understanding how 'pâleur' functions as a noun allows you to create more sophisticated sentences by making it the subject or object of a sentence.
At the B2 level, you should be comfortable using 'une pâleur' in various contexts, including metaphorical ones. You can use it to describe not just skin or light, but also the 'paleness' of a performance, a piece of writing, or an idea that lacks vigor. For instance, 'La pâleur de son argumentation n'a convaincu personne' (The weakness/paleness of his argument convinced no one). You should also be familiar with common collocations like 'une pâleur mortelle' (a deathly paleness) or 'perdre sa pâleur' (to lose one's paleness/to get some color back). At this level, you can use the word to add atmosphere to your writing. Instead of just describing facts, you are describing the *quality* and *mood* of a scene. You should also be able to distinguish 'pâleur' from related terms like 'lividité' or 'blancheur' based on the specific context and connotation required.
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At the C1 level, your use of 'une pâleur' should be precise and stylistically appropriate. You can use it in academic or literary analyses to discuss themes of illness, mortality, or light in French literature. You might examine how an author uses 'la pâleur' to signify a character's internal state or social status. You should be able to use it in complex sentence structures, such as 'Sa pâleur, loin d'être un signe de faiblesse, soulignait la détermination de son regard' (His paleness, far from being a sign of weakness, emphasized the determination in his eyes). You are also expected to understand the historical and cultural associations of the word, such as the 19th-century aesthetic of the 'teint pâle' as a sign of intellectualism or romantic suffering. Your vocabulary should be rich enough to use 'pâleur' alongside other sophisticated terms to create a specific texture in your language.
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At the C2 level, you have a complete mastery of 'une pâleur' and its various nuances. You can use it with ease in high-level creative writing, philosophical discourse, or technical medical discussions. You understand the subtle differences between 'une pâleur de cire' (a waxy paleness), 'une pâleur d'ivoire' (an ivory paleness), and 'une pâleur de marbre' (a marble-like paleness), and you can choose the one that fits the exact imagery you wish to evoke. You can also play with the word's polysemy, using it to describe the fading of memories, the dilution of a political movement, or the spectral quality of a dream. Your command of the word allows you to use it in a way that feels natural and deeply integrated into the flow of your French, showing an appreciation for the language's ability to capture fine distinctions in appearance and essence.
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Examples Notes & Tips

une pâleur in 30 Seconds

  • Une pâleur describes a lack of color in the face, often due to illness or fear.
  • It is a feminine noun (la pâleur) and can also describe weak light.
  • In literature, it often evokes a sense of fragility, beauty, or mystery.
  • Commonly used in medical contexts to describe a symptom of anemia or shock.

The French noun une pâleur refers specifically to the state or quality of being pale. While in English we often use the adjective 'paleness,' the French noun is frequently employed to describe a person's complexion, the quality of light, or even a metaphorical lack of intensity. It is a feminine noun, always preceded by the article 'une' or 'la'. In a medical or physical context, une pâleur often suggests that someone is unwell, tired, or suffering from a lack of oxygen or blood flow. However, its usage extends far beyond the doctor's office. It is a staple of French literature and romantic descriptions, used to evoke moonlight, the dawn, or the delicate skin of a protagonist. Understanding une pâleur requires recognizing the nuance between a healthy fair skin tone and an unhealthy or striking lack of color caused by external or internal factors.

Physical Health
In clinical or daily health contexts, this term describes an abnormal loss of color from normal skin or mucous membranes. It is often the first sign of anemia, shock, or fainting. For example, if a friend looks like they might pass out, you might notice une pâleur soudaine (a sudden paleness).
Emotional Reaction
French speakers use this word to describe the physical manifestation of strong emotions. Fear, terror, or deep shock can cause the blood to leave the face. In a suspenseful novel, a character might be described as having une pâleur de mort (a deathly paleness) upon hearing bad news.
Atmospheric Description
The word is not limited to humans. It can describe the weak, soft light of the moon or the sun behind thick clouds. La pâleur de l'aube refers to the dim, gray-white light of dawn before the sun fully rises.

Sa pâleur extrême inquiétait tout le monde dans la salle d'attente.

Historically, une pâleur was often associated with the nobility or 'refined' classes who did not work in the sun, making it a stylistic choice in 19th-century poetry. Today, it remains a versatile word that bridges the gap between scientific observation and poetic imagery. When you see someone who has just seen a ghost, you don't just say they are pale; you comment on la pâleur de leur visage. This noun adds a layer of descriptive weight that the simple adjective cannot always convey. It implies a state of being that has been noticed and is being analyzed.

Malgré son sourire, une certaine pâleur trahissait sa fatigue chronique.

Artistic Use
In painting and art criticism, la pâleur might describe a wash of color that lacks saturation, or the way a light source affects the subjects in a composition. It suggests subtlety and softness.

Using une pâleur correctly involves placing it within structures that emphasize a state or a change. Because it is a noun, it often follows verbs like remarquer (to notice), noter (to note), or avoir (to have). It is also frequently modified by adjectives to specify the type of paleness being discussed. Common modifiers include mortelle (deadly), effrayante (frightening), légère (slight), or cadavérique (cadaverous). When describing a person, you often use the preposition 'de' to link it to the face: la pâleur de son visage.

Describing Illness
'Le médecin a été frappé par la pâleur du patient.' (The doctor was struck by the patient's paleness). Here, the noun functions as the direct object of the verb 'frapper' (in the sense of making an impression).
Describing Fear
'Une pâleur soudaine envahit ses joues quand il vit l'accident.' (A sudden paleness invaded his cheeks when he saw the accident). This uses the verb 'envahir' (to invade) to show how the paleness spread across the face.

Il gardait une pâleur inquiétante même après s'être reposé.

In more abstract or literary contexts, you might see pâleur used to describe the sky or light. 'La pâleur du ciel hivernal' suggests a cold, washed-out sky. It can also be used metaphorically to describe a lack of vigor or life in a piece of work: 'La pâleur de son style d'écriture' (The blandness/paleness of his writing style). This versatility makes it a powerful tool for adding descriptive depth to your French. Note that since it is feminine, any accompanying adjectives must also be feminine (e.g., une pâleur extrême, not extrême).

Dans la pâleur du petit matin, les arbres ressemblaient à des fantômes.

While pâleur might sound like a word reserved for books, you will encounter it in several real-life scenarios in France and other French-speaking regions. The most common place is in a medical or caregiving setting. If you visit a French pharmacy or a doctor (le médecin traitant), they might use this word to describe your symptoms. They won't just say you look 'pâle'; they will note your pâleur as a clinical sign. You'll also hear it in news reports or documentaries, especially when describing people in distress or environmental conditions like a hazy sun.

News & Media
Journalists might use it to describe the appearance of a politician under pressure or a witness in a trial. 'On a remarqué la pâleur du ministre lors de son discours' (The minister's paleness was noticed during his speech).
Literature & Film
In French cinema and literature, la pâleur is a frequent motif for beauty or tragedy. Think of the 'femme fatale' or the suffering artist. It is a word that carries emotional weight in storytelling.

La pâleur du ciel annonçait l'arrivée imminente de la neige.

In daily conversation, it is slightly more formal than the adjective pâle, but it is not considered archaic. If a mother is worried about her child, she might tell her husband, 'Regarde sa pâleur, je crois qu'il couve quelque chose' (Look at his paleness, I think he's coming down with something). It adds a touch of seriousness to the observation. You will also find it in beauty and skincare contexts, though often as something to be 'corrected' or 'brightened' (lutter contre la pâleur du teint).

Sa pâleur était telle qu'on aurait dit une statue de marbre.

One of the most frequent mistakes English speakers make is confusing the noun pâleur with the adjective pâle. In English, we often use 'pale' as both an adjective ('He is pale') and a noun ('the pale of the sun'), though the latter is less common. In French, the distinction is strict. You cannot say *Il est pâleur; you must say Il a une pâleur or Il est pâle. Another common error is gender agreement. Because pâleur ends in '-eur', many learners assume it is masculine, like le bonheur or le malheur. However, abstract nouns ending in '-eur' derived from adjectives are almost always feminine (e.g., la blancheur, la lenteur, la laideur).

Gender Error
Incorrect: *Un grand pâleur. Correct: Une grande pâleur. Remember that even though it looks masculine, it is a feminine noun.
Word Order with Adjectives
Incorrect: *Sa maladive pâleur. Correct: Sa pâleur maladive. Most descriptive adjectives follow the noun 'pâleur'.

La pâleur de son visage contrastait violemment avec ses cheveux noirs.

Additionally, learners sometimes use pâleur when they actually mean 'dullness' or 'blandness' in a non-visual sense. While pâleur can be metaphorical, if you are talking about a boring meal, you would use fadeur (blandness) instead. If you are talking about a lack of light in a room, obscurité or faible luminosité might be better. Pâleur specifically implies a lack of color where color is expected. Finally, be careful with the pronunciation. The '-eur' sound /œʁ/ is distinct from the '-ure' sound /yʁ/. Confusing pâleur with a non-existent word like *pâlure will confuse native speakers.

Il ne faut pas confondre la pâleur naturelle et la pâleur due à la maladie.

While pâleur is the standard term for paleness, French offers several synonyms and related words that allow for greater precision depending on the context. If you want to describe a paleness that is extreme or associated with death, you might use lividité. If you are focusing on the lack of brightness or shine, terneur (dullness) is appropriate. For the specific white quality of something, blancheur (whiteness) is the go-to word. Understanding these differences will help you sound more like a native speaker.

Pâleur vs. Lividité
Pâleur is general. Lividité is much more intense, often implying a bluish or grayish tint, frequently used in medical or macabre contexts.
Pâleur vs. Blancheur
Blancheur is the noun for 'blanc' (white). It is often positive (the whiteness of snow). Pâleur is the noun for 'pâle' and often has a connotation of lack or illness.
Pâleur vs. Fadeur
Fadeur refers to a lack of flavor or interest. You wouldn't use it for skin, but you might use it for a boring painting where you might otherwise be tempted to use pâleur.

Sa pâleur n'était pas une simple blancheur, c'était le signe d'un grand choc.

In a literary context, you might also see décoloration, which refers to the process of losing color. While pâleur is the state, décoloration is the action. For instance, 'La décoloration de ses lèvres' describes the lips turning pale. Another interesting alternative is anémie, which is the medical condition causing the paleness. Sometimes people use the cause to describe the effect: 'Il a un teint anémié'. Choosing the right word depends on whether you want to be poetic, medical, or simply descriptive.

La pâleur de l'hiver laisse place à la vivacité du printemps.

Fun Fact

The circumflex accent on the 'â' in 'pâleur' and 'pâle' indicates that there used to be an 's' after the 'a' in older versions of the word (like in the English 'pale' root or Latin 'pallidus'), though in this specific case, the 's' was lost very early in the transition from Latin.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /pɑ.lœʁ/
US /pɑ.lœr/
In French, the stress is always on the last syllable: pâ-LEUR.
Rhymes With
douceur chaleur blancheur lenteur fleur bonheur malheur odeur
Common Errors
  • Pronouncing the '-eur' like 'oo-er'. It should be one smooth sound /œʁ/.
  • Making the 'â' too short like the 'a' in 'cat'. It should be deep and long.
  • Confusing it with 'pâleur' and 'parleur' (speaker). Ensure the 'l' is clear.
  • Pronouncing the final 'r' too softly; it should be a distinct uvular sound.
  • Confusing the gender in speech (using 'le' instead of 'la').
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Examples by Level

1

Il a une petite pâleur aujourd'hui.

He has a slight paleness today.

Uses 'avoir une' + noun.

2

Regarde la pâleur de son visage.

Look at the paleness of his face.

Noun 'pâleur' followed by 'de' + noun.

3

La pâleur n'est pas normale.

The paleness is not normal.

Subject of the sentence.

4

Elle a une pâleur car elle a peur.

She has a paleness because she is afraid.

Expressing cause with 'car'.

5

Le bébé a une pâleur ce matin.

The baby has a paleness this morning.

Time expression 'ce matin'.

6

J'aime la pâleur de la lune.

I like the paleness of the moon.

Describing an object (the moon).

7

Sa pâleur me fait peur.

His paleness scares me.

Direct object pronoun 'me'.

8

Il y a une pâleur sur ses joues.

There is a paleness on his cheeks.

Expression 'il y a'.

1

Le médecin a remarqué sa pâleur extrême.

The doctor noticed his extreme paleness.

Adjective 'extrême' agrees with feminine 'pâleur'.

2

Sa pâleur vient d'un manque de sommeil.

His paleness comes from a lack of sleep.

Verb 'venir de'.

3

Malgré sa pâleur, elle sourit.

Despite her paleness, she is smiling.

Conjunction 'malgré'.

4

La pâleur de l'hiver est triste.

The paleness of winter is sad.

Abstract description of a season.

5

Elle a perdu sa pâleur après les vacances.

She lost her paleness after the holidays.

Verb 'perdre' (to lose).

6

Une pâleur soudaine l'a frappé.

A sudden paleness struck him.

Adjective 'soudaine' is feminine.

7

On voit une certaine pâleur dans ses yeux.

One sees a certain paleness in his eyes.

Indefinite adjective 'certaine'.

8

Sa pâleur indique qu'il est malade.

His paleness indicates that he is sick.

Verb 'indiquer'.

1

Une pâleur mortelle envahit son visage à l'annonce de la nouvelle.

A deathly paleness spread over his face at the news.

Literary verb 'envahir'.

2

La pâleur du ciel annonçait une tempête de neige.

The paleness of the sky heralded a snowstorm.

Metaphorical use for weather.

3

Il essayait de cacher sa pâleur avec du maquillage.

He was trying to hide his paleness with makeup.

Infinitive 'cacher'.

4

Sa pâleur habituelle inquiétait ses parents.

His habitual paleness worried his parents.

Adjective 'habituelle'.

5

Rien ne pouvait dissimuler la pâleur de son teint.

Nothing could hide the paleness of his complexion.

Negative structure 'rien ne... pouvait'.

6

La pâleur de la bougie éclairait faiblement la pièce.

The paleness of the candle dimly lit the room.

Describing light intensity.

7

On aurait dit que sa pâleur était de naissance.

It looked as though his paleness was from birth.

Conditional 'on aurait dit'.

8

Sa pâleur contrastait avec la noirceur de ses cheveux.

Her paleness contrasted with the darkness of her hair.

Verb 'contraster'.

1

L'artiste a capturé la pâleur délicate de l'aurore.

The artist captured the delicate paleness of the dawn.

Noun phrase with multiple modifiers.

2

Une pâleur de cire s'était emparée de ses traits.

A waxy paleness had taken hold of his features.

Pronominal verb 's'emparer de'.

3

On ne peut ignorer la pâleur de ce rapport financier.

One cannot ignore the weakness (paleness) of this financial report.

Metaphorical use for 'weakness'.

4

Sa pâleur s'accentuait à mesure qu'il parlait.

His paleness increased as he spoke.

Expression 'à mesure que'.

5

Il y avait une certaine pâleur dans son enthousiasme.

There was a certain lack of vigor (paleness) in his enthusiasm.

Abstract metaphorical usage.

6

La pâleur des murs rendait la pièce impersonnelle.

The paleness of the walls made the room impersonal.

Causative structure 'rendait... impersonnelle'.

7

Elle conservait une pâleur aristocratique malgré le soleil.

She maintained an aristocratic paleness despite the sun.

Cultural reference to 'pâleur aristocratique'.

8

La pâleur de sa voix trahissait son émotion contenue.

The thinness (paleness) of his voice betrayed his contained emotion.

Metaphor applied to sound.

1

La pâleur cadavérique du suspect a frappé les jurés.

The suspect's cadaverous paleness struck the jurors.

Advanced adjective 'cadavérique'.

2

L'auteur utilise la pâleur comme métaphore de l'aliénation.

The author uses paleness as a metaphor for alienation.

Literary analysis context.

3

Cette pâleur soudaine est symptomatique d'une hémorragie interne.

This sudden paleness is symptomatic of internal bleeding.

Technical medical vocabulary.

4

Il contemplait la pâleur spectrale de la ville sous le brouillard.

He contemplated the spectral paleness of the city under the fog.

Evocative literary description.

5

La pâleur de son œuvre tardive déçoit les critiques.

The lack of vitality (paleness) in his late work disappoints critics.

Metaphor for artistic quality.

6

Elle était d'une pâleur telle qu'elle semblait translucide.

She was of such a paleness that she seemed translucent.

Structure 'd'une [noun] telle que'.

7

La pâleur du marbre imitait parfaitement la peau humaine.

The paleness of the marble perfectly imitated human skin.

Comparing materials.

8

Sa pâleur n'était que le reflet de sa lassitude intérieure.

His paleness was but a reflection of his inner weariness.

Restrictive 'ne... que'.

1

L'ineffable pâleur du crépuscule d'hiver invite à la mélancolie.

The ineffable paleness of the winter twilight invites melancholy.

High-level vocabulary 'ineffable'.

2

On décelait sous sa pâleur de façade une rage bouillonnante.

Beneath his surface paleness, one could detect a simmering rage.

Metaphorical 'pâleur de façade'.

3

La pâleur diaphane de ses mains évoquait la fragilité du verre.

The diaphanous paleness of her hands evoked the fragility of glass.

Advanced adjective 'diaphane'.

4

Il s'était retiré dans la pâleur monacale de sa cellule.

He had withdrawn into the monastic paleness of his cell.

Adjective 'monacale'.

5

La pâleur du souvenir s'estompait avec les années.

The paleness (fading) of the memory blurred with the years.

Metaphor for memory decay.

6

Elle arborait une pâleur de tragédie grecque.

She wore a paleness reminiscent of a Greek tragedy.

Cultural/literary allusion.

7

La pâleur du jour naissant luttait contre les ombres de la nuit.

The paleness of the dawning day struggled against the shadows of the night.

Personification of light.

8

Sa pâleur, loin d'être maladive, possédait une grâce éthérée.

Her paleness, far from being sickly, possessed an ethereal grace.

Nuanced descriptive structure.

Common Collocations

pâleur extrême
pâleur mortelle
pâleur de cire
pâleur du visage
pâleur soudaine
pâleur maladive
pâleur de l'aube
pâleur de marbre
perdre sa pâleur
accentuer la pâleur

Common Phrases

être d'une pâleur effrayante

— To be frighteningly pale.

Depuis son malaise, il est d'une pâleur effrayante.

une pâleur de mort

— A deathly paleness.

Elle avait une pâleur de mort en sortant de l'examen.

garder sa pâleur

— To stay pale despite efforts to change it.

Il garde sa pâleur malgré le grand air.

noter la pâleur

— To notice or record paleness (often medical).

L'infirmière a noté la pâleur des lèvres.

une pâleur cadavérique

— A cadaverous (extremely pale) look.

Il est revenu avec une pâleur cadavérique.

dans la pâleur du soir

— In the dim light of evening.

On distinguait les collines dans la pâleur du soir.

une pâleur de porcelaine

— A delicate, white skin tone like porcelain.

Elle possède une magnifique pâleur de porcelaine.

frappé de pâleur

— To be struck with paleness (suddenly turn pale).

Il fut frappé de pâleur en voyant le serpent.

une pâleur de fantôme

— A ghost-like paleness.

Il errait dans les couloirs avec une pâleur de fantôme.

dissimuler sa pâleur

— To hide one's paleness.

Elle utilisait du fard pour dissimuler sa pâleur.

Idioms & Expressions

"être blanc comme un linge"

— To be as white as a sheet (very pale).

Après le choc, il était blanc comme un linge.

informal
"avoir une mine de papier mâché"

— To look very pale and tired.

Tu as une mine de papier mâché ce matin !

informal
"être pâle comme un mort"

— To be as pale as a dead person.

Il est devenu pâle comme un mort en entendant le cri.

neutral
"avoir un teint de navet"

— To have a very pale/yellowish complexion (insulting).

Avec ce teint de navet, il devrait sortir plus souvent.

slang
"être livide de rage"

— To be pale/livid with rage.

Il était livide de rage devant l'injustice.

neutral
"faire une tête d'enterrement"

— To look pale and sad (like at a funeral).

Pourquoi fais-tu cette tête d'enterrement ?

informal
"être blanc comme un cachet d'aspirine"

— To be as white as an aspirin tablet.

Il ne va jamais au soleil, il est blanc comme un cachet d'aspirine.

informal
"avoir le sang qui se glace"

— To have one's blood freeze (causing paleness).

J'ai eu le sang qui s'est glacé en le voyant.

idiomatic
"perdre ses couleurs"

— To lose one's colors (to turn pale).

Elle a perdu ses couleurs quand elle a vu le sang.

neutral
"être pâle comme la lune"

— To be as pale as the moon.

Elle était belle et pâle comme la lune.

literary

Word Family

Nouns

pâleur
pâleur (the state)
pâlot (informal for a pale person)

Verbs

pâlir (to turn pale)
blêmir (to turn pale from shock)

Adjectives

pâle (pale)
pâlissant (turning pale)
pâlot (pejorative/informal)

Related

blancheur
lividité
clarté
teint
mine
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Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'Pale Flower'. 'Pâleur' sounds a bit like 'Pale' + 'Flower' (fleur). Imagine a white, pale flower to remember the word and its feminine gender (like 'la fleur').

Visual Association

Imagine a Victorian ghost in a long white dress. Her skin has an extreme 'pâleur'. The 'â' in the word looks like a little ghost hat.

Word Web

visage maladie peur lune blanc teint santé émotion

Challenge

Try to describe three different things using 'pâleur': a person's face, the morning light, and a boring book.

Word Origin

Derived from the Latin word 'pallor', which also means paleness or moldiness. It entered Old French as 'palor' before evolving into the modern 'pâleur'.

Original meaning: The lack of color, specifically in human skin or light.

Romance (Latin root).

Cultural Context

Be careful when using 'pâleur' to describe someone's natural skin tone; it usually implies an unhealthy or temporary state.

In English, we use 'paleness' less frequently than French uses 'pâleur'. English speakers often default to the adjective 'pale'.

Used in Victor Hugo's 'Les Misérables' to describe Fantine's illness. A common motif in the poetry of Charles Baudelaire. Appears in French medical journals as a primary symptom for anemia.
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