Left Bank

American  

noun

1. a part of Paris, France, on the S bank of the Seine: frequented by artists, writers, and students.

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Left Bank British  

noun

1. a district of Paris, on the S bank of the River Seine; frequented by artists, students, etc

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Left Bank Cultural  

1. Area in Paris on the left (south) bank of the Seine River.

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The Left Bank is a center of artistic and student life.

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How does left-bank compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Left Bank vs. Right Bank

Example Sentences

Ali Akbar has been pounding the pavement of Paris's Left Bank for more than 50 years, papers under the arm and on his lips the latest headline.

From BBC • Aug. 9, 2025

Models marched across a cobblestone catwalk in a courtyard of the Hotel de la Monnaie on the Left Bank in Paris wearing white, cotton sneakers or simple ballerina slippers that toned down dressier looks.

From Reuters • Jun. 23, 2023

That was the year she met Picasso, by chance, when she and a friend visited a restaurant on the Left Bank, amid a gathering that included his then-companion, Dora Maar.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2023

“I prefer Chanel to the stink,” joked Vincent Salazar, a 62-year-old artistic consultant who lives in a tony Left Bank neighborhood.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 20, 2023

Henri had so steeped himself in stories of the Left Bank in Paris that he lived there although he had never been there.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck