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Here are some examples of French words and phrases used by English speakers. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ...

There are many words of French origin in English, such as art, collage, competition, force, machine, police, publicity, role, routine, table, and many others which have been and are being anglicized. They are now pronounced according to English rules of orthography, rather than French. Approximately 40% of English vocabulary is of French or Oïl language origin, most derived from, or transmitted by, the Anglo-Norman spoken by the upper classes in England for several hundred years after the Norman Conquest, before the language settled into what became Modern English. A great number of words of French origin have entered the English language to the extent that 40% of its vocabulary is of French origin. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The orthography of a language specifies the correct way of using a specific writing system to write the language. ... The geographical spread of the Oïl languages (except French) can be seen in shades of green in this map The Oïl language family in linguistics comprises Romance languages originating in territories now occupied by northern France, part of Belgium and the Channel Islands. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Upper class refers to the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Bayeux Tapestry depicting events leading to the Battle of Hastings The Norman Conquest of England was the conquest of the Kingdom of England by William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy), in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings and the subsequent Norman control of England. ... Note: This page or section contains IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. ...

This article, however, covers words and phrases that generally entered the lexicon later, as through literature, the arts, diplomacy, and other cultural exchanges not involving conquests. As such, they have not lost their character as Gallicisms, or words that seem unmistakably foreign and "French" to an English-speaking person.

That said, the phrases are given as used in English, and may seem correct modern French to English speakers, but may not be recognised as such by French speakers as many of them are now defunct or have a different meaning due to semantic evolution. A general rule is that if the word or phrase retains French diacritics or is usually printed in italics, it has retained its French identity. Example of a letter with a diacritic A diacritic or diacritical mark, also called an accent, is a small sign added to a letter to alter pronunciation or to distinguish between similar words. ...

Words & phrases

A maison

à gogo 

in abundance

à la [...] 

in the manner of [...]

à la carte 

on the card; (in restaurants refers to ordering individual dishes rather than a fixed-price meal)

à la mode 

fashionable; also, with ice cream (in the U.S.)

accouchement 

confinement during childbirth; the process of having a baby; only this last meaning remains in French

adieu 

goodbye; as it literally means "to God," it carries more weight than "au revoir" (it is definitive, implying you will never see the other person again). Depending of the context, misuse of this term can be considered as an insult, as you'll wish for the other person's death or will say that you don't wish to see the other person ever again while alive.

adroit 

skillful, clever, in French: habile, as a "right handed" person would be using his "right" hand, as opposed to his left one with which he would be "gauche" meaning "left".

agent provocateur 

a police spy who infiltrates a group to disrupt or discredit it.

aide-de-camp 

a military assistant

aide-mémoire 

a position paper; a diplomatic agenda

amuse bouche 

an early appetizer course of bite-sized foods used to excite the palate, typically used in haute cuisine; lit. mouth pleaser, amuse gueule in modern French.

ancien régime 

a sociopolitical or other system that no longer exists, an allusion to pre-revolutionary France (used with capital letter in French with this meaning : Ancien Régime)

aperçu 

a first impression; initial insight

apéritif 

a before-meal drink

appliqué 

an inlaid or attached decorative feature

après moi, le déluge 

the remark attributed to Louis XV of France; used in reference to the impending end of a functioning French monarchy and predicting the French Revolution. (After me, the deluge.)

après-ski 

after skiing socializing after a ski session; in modern French, this word refers to boots used to walk in snow (e.g. MoonBoots^TM).

arête 

a narrow ridge

armoire 

a type of cabinet; wardrobe

artiste 

a skilled performer, a person with artistic pretensions

art nouveau 

a style of decoration and architecture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries (usually bears capitals in French : Art Nouveau)

attaché 

a person attached to an embassy; in French is also the past participle of the verb attacher (=to fasten)

au contraire 

to the contrary

au courant 

up-to-date; abreast of current affairs

au jus 

literally, with juice, referring to a food course served with sauce. Often redundantly formulated, as in 'Open-faced steak sandwich, served with au jus.' In modern French, although 'jus' can refer to juice produced by meat during cooking, se mettre au jus (to put oneself au jus) is also a colloquial expression used to call someone to try something (jump into water at a pool, try a new recipe. ..)

au naturel 

nude; literally, it is the contraction of à le (same as à la) naturel (in a natural manner)

au pair 

a young foreigner who does domestic chores in exchange for room and board

au revoir! 

"See you soon!"; lit. Until the next sight. In French contraction of Au plaisir de vous revoir (=to the pleasure of seeing you again).

avant-garde 

applied to cutting-edge or radically innovative movements in art, music and literature; figuratively "on the edge", literally, a military term, meaning "vanguard" (which is the deformation of avant-garde) or "advance guard", in other words, "first to attack" (plural avant-gardes; antonym of arrière-garde).

avant la lettre 

used to describe something or someone seen as a precursor or forerunner of something (such as an artistic or political movement) before that something was recognized and named, e.g. "a post-modernist avant la lettre", "a feminist avant la lettre"; the expression literally means before the letter, i.e. "before it had a name".

A la carte (also à la carte), is a French phrase meaning from the menu, and it is used in restaurant terminology in one of two ways: First, it may refer to a menu of items priced and ordered separately rather than selected from a list of preset multi-course meals... An agent provocateur (plural: agents provocateurs) is a person assigned to provoke unrest, violence, debate, or argument by or within a group while acting as a member of the group but covertly representing the interests of another. ... An aide-de-camp (French: camp assistant) is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into hors d’œuvre. ... Haute cuisine (literally high cooking in French) or grande cuisine refers to the cooking of the grand restaurants and hotels of the western world. ... Ancien Régime, a French term meaning Former Regime, but rendered in English as Old Rule, Old Order, or simply Old Regime, refers primarily to the aristocratic social and political system established in France under the Valois and Bourbon dynasties. ... Campari apéritif. ... Applique (or appliqué) is a technique in which pieces of fabric are sewn onto a foundation piece of fabric to create designs. ... Louis XV (February 15, 1710 – May 10, 1774), called the Well-Beloved (French: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1715 to 1774. ... This article is about great floods. ... Après-ski (French: after skiing) refers to going out, having drinks, and dancing after skiing. ... The Garden Wall, an arête in Glacier National Park (U.S.) An arête is a thin, almost knife-like, ridge of rock which is typically formed when two glaciers erode parallel U-shaped valleys. ... Vitebsk Railway Station one of the finest examples of Art Nouveau architecture. ... An attaché is a person who is assigned to the staff of a diplomatic mission and often has special responsibilities or expertise. ... Au pair is an anglicization of the French term au pair, which means on par or equal to and describes a young person living on an equal basis with a host family in a foreign country. ... A work similar to Marcel Duchamps Fountain Avant garde (written avant-garde) is a French phrase, one of many French phrases used by English speakers. ...

B

ballet 

a type of dance

beaucoup 

a lot of (slang, such as, "beaucoup bucks")

belle 

a beautiful woman or girl. Common uses of this word are in the phrases the belle of the ball (the most beautiful woman or girl present at a function) and southern belle (a beautiful woman from the southern states of the US)

bête noire 

a scary or unpopular person, idea, or thing, or the archetypical scary monster in a story; literally "black beast".

billet doux 

a love letter, literally "sweet letter" (plural billets doux).

blasé/e 

a nonchalant or uninterested man/woman; literally cloyed or chronically hung over

blond/e 

this is not the only foreign word in everyday use in the English language that also differs in gender — 'blond' is masculine, 'blonde' is feminine.

bon appétit! 

enjoy your meal; literally "good appetite". There is no native equivalent English phrase.

bonjour 

hello, used to express a greeting; literally "good day".

bon voyage! 

have a good trip!

brunette 

a brown-haired girl. For brown-haired boy or man, French uses brun and for a woman brune

bureau 

office (British English plural bureaux; American English plural bureaus)

For other uses, see Ballet (disambiguation). ... Belle was once a member of RBAP who believed a Husky could jump a 6 foot fence without a running start. ... For other uses, see Southern Belle (disambiguation). ... Bête Noire is an album by British singer Bryan Ferry, released on Virgin Records in November 1987. ... British English (BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere in the Anglophone world. ... For other uses, see American English (disambiguation). ...

C

cachet 

a distinctive quality

café 

a snack, a coffee shop;

café au lait 

coffee with milk; or a light-brown color

cap-à-pied 

from head to foot; modern French uses de pied en cap

carte blanche 

unlimited authority; literally "white card" (i.e. blank check)

carte d'identité 

identity card

cause célèbre 

a controversial issue, such as a legal case, which divides public opinion

c'est la guerre! 

"That's War!"; or "Such is war!" It is sometimes used as an expression to say that war is harsh but that one must accept it.

c'est la mode.  

"Such is fashion"

c'est la vie! 

"That's life!"; or "Such is life!" It is sometimes used as an expression to say that life is harsh but that one must accept it.

c'est magnifique! 

"That's great!"; literally it's magnificent

chaise longue 

a long chair for reclining; (also rendered chaise lounge or chase lounge via folk etymology)

chanson 

a song

chanteuse 

a female singer

chapeau 

a hat. In French, chapeau is also an expression of congratulations similar to the English "hats off to...."

chargé d'affaires 

a diplomat left in charge of day to day business at a diplomatic mission. Within the United States Department of State a chargé is any officer left in charge of the mission in the absence of the titular chief of mission.

châteaux en Espagne 

literally "castles in Spain"; something that exists only in the imagination (as, "castles in the air" or "pie in the sky")

chef d'œuvre 

a masterpiece

cherchez la femme. 

literally "Look for the woman." (expressing the notion that behind a man’s unusual behavior may be his trying to impress a woman or to cover up an affair)

chevalier d'industrie 

one who lives by his wits, specially by swindling, literally "knight of industry";

chez 

the home of

chic 

stylish

chignon 

a hairstyle worn in a roll at the nape of the neck

cinéma vérité 

realism in documentary filmmaking

claque 

a group of admirers; in old French, the claque was a group of people paid to applause or disturb a piece; in modern French = a slap

cliché 

trite through overuse; a stereotype

clique 

a small exclusive group of friends; often used in a pejorative way in French

coquette 

a flirtatious girl; a tease

commandant 

a commanding officer

comme il faut 

as is proper; literally as it should be

comme ci comme ça 

so-so; literally as this, as that

communiqué 

an official communication

concierge 

a hotel desk manager (in French also refers to the caretaker of a building usually living at the front floor ; concierges have a reputation for gossiping)

concordat 

an agreement; a treaty; when used with capital letters in French refers to a treaty between the French State and Judaeo-Christian religions during the French Empire (Napoleon) : priests, ministers and rabbis became civil servants. This treaty was abolished in 1905 (Church-State separation) but is still in use in Alsace-Lorraine (those territories were under German administration during 1871–1918)

confrère 

a colleague

congé 

a departure; in French when used in the plural form refers to vacations

connoisseur 

an expert in wines, fine arts, or other matters of culture; a person of refined taste; (spelt connaisseur in modern French)

conte 

a short story; in French a conte has usually a fantasy context (such as in fairytales)

contretemps 

an awkward clash; a delay

cordon sanitaire 

a policy of containment directed against a hostile entity or ideology; a chain of buffer states; lit. "quarantine line"

corduroy 

a material used in clothing, derives from French "corde du roi"; lit. "cloth of kings"

cortège 

a funeral procession; in French has a broader meaning and refers to all kinds of procession

corvée 

forced labor for minimal or no pay

cotte d'armes 

coat of arms

coup de foudre 

a sudden unforeseen event (in French, "thunderbolt": love at first sight)

coup de grâce 

the final blow that results in victory (literally "blow of mercy"), historically used in the context of the battlefield, now more often used in other contexts (e.g. the defense's production of a particular piece of evidence in court that destroys the prosecution's case).

coup de main 

a surprise attack (usually means to give assistance in French: donner un coup de main is "to give a hand", even if the English meaning exists as well but is old-fashioned)

coup d'État 

a sudden change in government by force; literally "hit (blow) of state" (note the capital E in French, not used in English)

coup d'œil 

a glance, literally "a blow (or touch) of the eye"

couture 

fashion

couturier 

a fashion designer

crèche 

a nativity display; more commonly (in UK), a place where children are left by their parents for short periods in the supervision of childminders; both meanings still exist in French

crème brûlée 

a dessert consisting primarily of custard and toasted sugar, that is, caramel; literally "burnt cream"

crème de la crème 

best of the best; literally "cream of the cream", used to describe highly skilled people

crème fraîche 

literally "fresh cream", a heavy cream slightly soured with bacterial culture, but not as sour or as thick as sour cream

crêpe 

a thin sweet or savoury pancake eaten as a light meal or dessert

cri du cœur 

a passionate plea, literally "cry from the heart"

crudité 

a traditional French appetizer comprised of grated raw vegetables soaked in a vinaigrette

cul-de-sac 

a dead-end (residential) street; literally "bottom (buttocks) of the bag".

Diners Club International, originally founded as Diners Club, was formed in 1950 by Frank X. McNamara, Ralph Schneider and Alfred Bloomingdale. ... A blank check (carte blanche) is a check that has no numerical value written in, but is still signed; check owners are normally advised to specify the amount before signing. ... Look up cause célèbre in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up cest la vie in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A chaise lounge (French long chair) is an upholstered couch in the shape of a chair that is long enough to support the legs. ... Folk etymology is a term used in two distinct ways: A commonly held misunderstanding of the origin of a particular word, a false etymology. ... In diplomacy, chargé daffaires (French for in charge of business), is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents: Chargés daffaires (ministres chargés daffaires), who were placed by the reglement of the Congress of Vienna in the fourth class of diplomatic agents, are heads of... Pie in the Sky was a light-hearted British police drama starring Richard Griffiths and Maggie Steed, created by Andrew Payne and broadcast in five series on BBC1 between 1994 and 1997 as well as being syndicated on other channels in other countries, including the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ... For other uses, see Masterpiece (disambiguation). ... Cherchez la femme! is a French phrase which literally means Look for the woman! The expression comes from Alexandre Dumas (père) in The Mohicans of Paris (1854). ... A chignon is also a type of bun hairstyle, made popular and worn by many women. ... This article is about filmmaking. ... A report in The Etude of July 1931 on the Vienna Opera House banning claquing Claque (French for clapping) is, in its origin, a term which refers to an organized body of professional applauders in French theatres. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article is about social groups, for other uses see Clique (disambiguation). ... Commandant is a military or police title or rank and can mean any of the following: The commander of certain military corps and services, such as the Commandant of the Marine Corps and the Commandant of the Coast Guard in the United States or the Commandant of the (now obsolete... Concierge desk at the Mount Washington Hotel. ... A concordat is an agreement between the pope and a government or sovereign on religious matters. ... A connoisseur (Fr. ... Cordon sanitaire is a French phrase that, literally translated, means quarantine line. ... This article is about foreign policy. ... A buffer state is a country lying between two rival or potentially hostile greater Powers that by its sheer existence is thought to prevent conflict between them. ... Corduroy is a fabric composed of twisted fibers that when woven lie parallel (similar to twill) to one another to form the cloths distinct pattern, a cord. ... Corvée, or corvée labor, is a term used in feudal societies. ... A modern coat of arms is derived from the medi val practice of painting designs onto the shield and outer clothing of knights to enable them to be identified in battle, and later in tournaments. ... Look up coup de grâce in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A Coup de main is a swift attack that relies on speed and surprise to accomplish its objectives in a single blow. ... Coup redirects here. ... Couture is the name or part of the name of several communes in France: Couture, in the Charente département Couture-dArgenson, in the Deux-Sèvres département Couture-sur-Loir, in the Loir-et-Cher département See also La Couture Haute couture CharlElie Couture, a French... Look up crèche in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For the Nativity of Jesus, see Nativity of Jesus. ... Crème brûlée Crème brûlée (French for burnt cream; IPA: in English, in French) is a dessert consisting of a rich custard base topped with a layer of hard caramel, created by burning sugar under a grill or other intense heat source. ... Caramel candy For other uses, see Caramel (disambiguation). ... Containers of crème fraîche Crème fraîche [IPA: krɛm frɛʃ] (French for fresh cream) is a heavy cream slightly soured with bacterial culture, but not as sour or as thick as sour cream. ... The base material for multiple crêpes A sweet crêpe opened up, with whipped cream and strawberry sauce on it A crêpe (pronounced IPA /kreɪp/, French /kʀɛp/) is a type of very thin raw fish usually made grown in the ocean or sea. ... Carrot and Celery crudité platter Crudités are traditional French appetizers comprised of grated raw vegetables soaked in a vinaigrette. ... For the musical group, see Cul de Sac (group). ...

D

déclassé 

of inferior social status

décolleté 

a low-cut garment, or the property of exposing the chest or cleavage.

décor 

the layout and furnishing of a room

découpage 

decoration with cut paper

dépanneur 

a neighborhood general/convenience store, term used in eastern Canada (often shortened to "dép" or "dep")

déjà vu 

an impression or illusion of having seen or experienced something before. Literally "already seen".

démarche 

a decisive step

dénouement 

the end result

de nouveau 

again; anew

dérailleur 

a bicycle gear-shift mechanism

de règle 

according to custom;

de rigueur 

required or expected, especially with reference to fashion

dernier cri 

the latest fashion; literally "last scream"

derrière 

rear; buttocks; literally "behind"

déshabillé 

partially clad

détente 

easing of diplomatic tension

de trop 

excessive

diablerie 

witchcraft, deviltry

divertissement 

an amusing diversion; entertainment

dossier 

a file containing detailed information about a person; it has a much wider meaning in modern French, as any type of file, or even a computer directory

douceur de vivre 

"sweetness of life"

doyen 

the senior member of a group; the feminine is doyenne

dressage 

a form of competitive horse training

droit du seigneur 

the purported right of a lord of an estate to deflower a woman on her wedding night in precedence to her new husband; literally the "right of the lord" (also called "droit de cuissage" in modern French)

du jour 

said of something fashionable or hip for a day and quickly forgotten; today's choice on the menu, as soup du jour, literally "of the day"

Aria Giovanni displaying cleavage Cleavage is the cleft created by the partial exposure of a womans breasts, especially when exposed by low-cut clothing. ... Interior decoration or décor is the art of decorating a room so that it is attractive, easy to use, and functions well with the existing architecture. ... Decoupage (or découpage) is the art of decorating an object by gluing colored paper bits onto it in combination with special paint effects, gold leaf etc. ... A dépanneur (French, from dépanner, meaning to help out of difficulty; often nicknamed a dep) is a convenience store in the province of Quebec, in Canada. ... For other uses, see Déjà vu (disambiguation). ... A démarche is a formal diplomatic representation of one government’s official position, views, or wishes on a given subject to an appropriate official in another government or international organization. ... In literature, a dénouement (IPA: ) consists of a series of events that follow a dramatic or narratives climax, thus serving as the conclusion of the story. ... Derailleur gears are a variable ratio transmission system commonly used on bicycles, consisting of a chain, multiple sprockets and a mechanism to move the chain from one sprocket to another. ... Look up de rigueur in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Détente is a French term, meaning a relaxing or easing; the term has been used in international politics since the early 1970s. ... An upper-level dressage competitor performing an extended trot Dressage (a French term meaning training) is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Olympics. ... The jus primae noctis meaning law (or right) of the first night, and droit du seigneur meaning the lords right, is the purported right of the lord of an estate to deflower its virgins. ...

E

eau de toilette 

perfume; can be shortened as eau (water); literally "toilet water."

éclat 

Great brilliance, as of performance or achievement. Conspicuous success. Great acclamation or applause

élan 

a distinctive flair

émigré 

one who has emigrated for political reasons; the political reason is not implied in the French use of the word

éminence grise 

a powerful advisor or decision-maker who operates secretly or otherwise unofficially; literally "gray eminence"

enfant terrible 

a disruptively unconventional person, a "terrible child"

en bloc 

as a group

en masse 

all together

ennui 

boredom

en passant 

in passing

en route 

on the way

en suite 

as a set (do not confuse with "ensuite", meaning "then")

entente 

diplomatic agreement or cooperation

entre nous 

confidentially; literally "between us"

entrée 

literally "entrance"; the first course of a meal (UK English); used to denote the main dish or course of a meal (US English)

entremets 

desserts/sweet dishes. More literally, a side dish that can be served between the courses of a meal

entrepreneur 

a person who undertakes and operates a new enterprise or venture and assumes some accountability for the inherent risks

escargots 

snails (as food)

escritoire 

a writing table (spelt écritoire in French)

esprit de corps 

a feeling of solidarity among members of a group; morale; literally "spirit of the body (of troops)"

étude 

a musical composition designed to provide practice in a particular technical skill in the performance of an instrument. French for "study".

exposé 

a published exposure of a fraud or scandal; in French refers to a talk or a report on all kinds of subject

extraordinaire 

extraordinary, usually as a following adjective, as "musician extraordinaire"

For other uses, see Perfume (disambiguation). ... Émigré is a French term that shows how Martin B. loves stephanie. ... An éminence grise (French for grey eminence), is a powerful advisor or decision-maker who operates secretly or otherwise unofficially. ... An enfant terrible, from the French meaning terrible child, is one whose startlingly unconventional behavior, work, or thought embarrasses or disturbs others. ... Boring and Bored redirect here. ... ġĠ ġ Εý ŚÝ ¼Ћ This article is about the chess move en passant. For other uses, see En passant (disambiguation). ... Entente, meaning a diplomatic understanding, may refer to a number of agreements: The Entente Cordiale, 1904 between France and the United Kingdom. ... For the university exchange program ENTREE, see European Network for Training and Research in Electrical Engineering. ... An entremet (or entremets, from Old French, literally meaning between servings) is today a small dish served between courses or simply a dessert. ... An entrepreneur (a loanword from French introduced and first defined by the Irish economist Richard Cantillon) is a person who operates a new enterprise or venture and assumes some accountability for the inherent risks. ... Escargots, in French cuisine, is a dish of cooked land snails, usually served as an appetizer. ... An escritoire is a form of cupboard with a large front door that opens downwards to form a writing surface, converting it into a writing desk. ... Esprit de Corps might refer to: Esprit de Corps - state of mind, Morale. ... An etude (from the French word étude meaning study) is a short musical composition designed to provide practice in a particular technical skill in the performance of a solo instrument. ... An exposé is an article or book intended to reveal shocking or surprising information. ...

F

façade 

the front view of an edifice; a fake persona, as in "putting on a façade" (the ç is pronounced like an s)

fait accompli 

something that has already happened and is thus unlikely to be reversed

faute de mieux 

for want of better

faux 

fake

faux amis 

literally "false friends"; used to refer to words in two different languages that have the same or similar spelling, and often the same etymology but different meanings, such as the French verb rester which means "to stay" rather than "to rest"

faux pas 

a social blunder, literally false step (to slip). Francophones can use more commonly "gaffe", which is less polite.

femme fatale 

an alluring, mysterious woman; the term implies a fatal ending to meeting and frequenting such a woman

fiancé/e 

a man engaged to be married/a woman engaged to be married; literally betrothed

film noir 

a genre of dark-themed movies

fils 

used after a man's surname to distinguish a son from a father, as George Bush fils (in French, "fils" = son)

fin de siècle 

comparable to (but not exactly the same as) turn-of-the-century but with a connotation of decadence, usually applied to the period from 1890 through 1910.

flambeau 

a lighted torch

flâneur 

a gentleman stroller of city streets

fleur-de-lis 

a stylized-flower heraldic device; the golden fleur-de-lis on an azure background were the arms of the French Kingdom

folie à deux 

a simultaneous occurrence of delusions in two closely related people, often said of an unsuitable romance

force majeure 

an overpowering event, an act of God

forte 

a strength, a strong point, typically of a person, from the French fort or strong.

According to Merriam Webster Dictionary,"In forte we have a word derived from French that in its "strong point" sense has no entirely satisfactory pronunciation. Usage writers have denigrated 'for-"tA and 'for-tE because they reflect the influence of the Italian-derived forte. Their recommended pronunciation 'fort, however, does not exactly reflect French either: the French would write the word le fort and would rhyme it with English for. So you can take your choice, knowing that someone somewhere will dislike whichever variant you choose. All are standard, however. In British English 'fo-"tA and 'fot predominate; 'for-"tA and for-'tA are probably the most frequent pronunciations in American English." West façade of the Notre-Dame de Strasbourg Cathedral A facade (or façade) is the exterior of a building – especially the front, but also sometimes the sides and rear. ... Look up faux in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... False friends are pairs of words in two languages or letters in two alphabets that look or sound similar but differ in meaning. ... Etymologies redirects here. ... Look up faux pas in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Convicted spy Mata Hari made her name synonymous with femme fatale during WWI. A femme fatale (plural: femmes fatales) is an alluring and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. ... This still from The Big Combo (1955) demonstrates the visual style of film noir at its most extreme. ... Fin de siècle is French for end of the century. The term turn-of-the-century is sometimes used as a synonym, but is more neutral (lacking some or most of the connotations described below), and can include the first years of a new century. ... Fin de siècle is French for End of the Century. The term turn-of-the-century is sometimes used as a synonym, but is more neutral (lacking some or most of the connotations described below), and can include the first years of a new century. ... Look up flaneur in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Fleurs-de-lys on the flag of Quebec The fleur-de-lis (also spelled fleur-de-lys; plural fleurs-de-lis or -lys) is used in heraldry, where it is particularly associated with the France monarchy (see King of France). ... Folie à deux (literally, a madness shared by two) is a rare psychiatric syndrome in which a symptom of psychosis (particularly a paranoid or delusional belief) is transmitted from one individual to another. ... Force majeure (French for greater force) is a common clause in contracts which essentially frees both parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties, such as war, strike, riot, crime, act of God (e. ... Look up forte in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

G

gaffe 

blunder

garçon 

literally "boy" or "male servant"; sometimes used by English speakers to summon the attention of a male waiter; (has a playful connotation in English but can be rather insulting in French)

gauche 

tactless, literally "left handed"

gaucherie 

boorishness

genre 

a type or class, such as "the thriller genre"

glissade 

slide down a slope

Grand Prix 

a type of motor racing, literally "Grand Prize"

Grand Guignol 

a horror show, named after a French theater famous for its frightening plays and bloody special effects. (Guignol can be used in French to describe a ridiculous person, in the same way that clown might be used in English.)

A waiter in a resort setting A waiter is one who waits on tables, often at a restaurant or a bar. ... A genre [], (French: kind or sort from Greek: γένος (genos)) is a loose set of criteria for a category of literary composition; the term is also used for any other form of art or utterance. ... The thriller is a broad genre of literature, film, and television. ... Glissade is the usually voluntary act of descending a steep slope of snow in a controlled manner either for the sheer thrill of the ride and/or to bypass tedious scree. ... Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. ... Promotional poster for a Grand Guignol performance This article is about the Paris theatre. ... “Horror Movie” redirects here. ...

H

habitué 

one who regularly frequents a place

haute couture 

trend-setting fashion

haute cuisine 

a manner of preparing food; literally "upper kitchen".

haute école 

advanced horsemanship; literally "upper school"

hauteur 

arrogance; lit. height

haut monde 

fashionable society, the "upper world"

Honi soit qui mal y pense. 

"Shame on him who thinks ill of it"; or sometimes translated as Evil be to him who evil thinks; the motto of the most noble Order of the Garter (modern French writes honni instead of Old French honi)

hors de combat 

out of the fight

hors-concours 

"out of the running"; used to describe someone who is a non-competitor, especially in love (not restricted to love in modern French)

hors d'œuvre 

appetizer

huis-clos 

the huis-clos is a term which indicates an enclosed space such as a room or cell, where action or speech can not be seen or heard from outside.

Haute couture (French for high sewing or high dressmaking; IPA: ) refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted fashions. ... Haute cuisine (literally high cooking in French) or grande cuisine refers to the cooking of the grand restaurants and hotels of the western world. ... Classical dressage evolved from cavalry movements trained for the battlefield, and has since developed into competitive dressage seen today. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The insignia of a knight of the Order of the Garter. ... Hors de combat, literally meaning out of the fight, is a term used in diplomacy and international law to refer to soldiers who are incapable of performing their military function. ... Crudités variés, a typical hors dœuvre in French cuisine Hors dœuvre, (IPA: French but often in English as ; French plural: hors dœuvre, without an extra s; English plural often hors dœuvres), also known as appetizer(s), refer to the food served before or outside...

I

idée fixe 

a leitmotiv; an obsession

insouciant/e 

a nonchalant man/woman

ingénu/e 

an innocent young man/woman, used particularly in reference to a theatrical stock character

A leitmotif (also spelled leitmotiv) is a recurring musical theme, associated within a particular piece of music with a particular person, place or idea. ... A leitmotif (also spelled leitmotiv) is a recurring musical theme, associated within a particular piece of music with a particular person, place or idea. ... Mary Pickford, a perpetual ingenue The Ingenue is a stock character in literature and film and a role type in the theatre, generally a girl or a young woman who is endearingly innocent. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

J

J’accuse 

I accuse.; used generally in reference to a political or social indictment (alluding to the title of Émile Zola’s exposé of the Dreyfus affair)

J'adore 

literally, I adore. I love to the full extent. Can imply "Je t'adore", translated as "I love you", or possibly I adore you.

J'adoube 

In chess, an expression said discreetly signaling an intention to straighten out the pieces, without being committed to moving or capturing the first one touched as per the game's rules. lit. "I adjust". From the French verb adouber, to dub (the action of knighting someone)

Je ne sais pas

I don't know

Je-ne-sais-quoi 

an indefinable, usually compelling quality (charisma); lit. I don't know what

joie de vivre 

joy of living

Émile Zola (2 April 1840 – 29 September 1902) was an influential French writer, the most important example of the literary school of naturalism, and a major figure in the political liberalization of France. ... The Dreyfus affair was a political scandal with anti-Semitic overtones which divided France from the 1890s to the early 1900s. ... This article is about the Western board game. ... For other uses, see Charisma (disambiguation). ...

L

Laissez faire 

usu. in reference to government regulation of commerce; literally "leave to do"

Laissez les bons temps rouler. 

"Let the good times roll." (strongly associated with Cajun and New Orleans culture and not commonly used by Francophones outside of Louisiana)

Lamé 

is a type of fabric woven or knit with metallic yarns.

layette 

a set of clothing and accessories for a new baby

la petite mort 

an orgasm; literally "the little death"

l'esprit de l'escalier 

thinking of the right comeback too late; literally "staircase wit"; (originally a witticism of Diderot, the French encyclopedist, in his Paradoxe sur le Comédien)

L'État, c'est moi. 

the remark attributed to Louis XIV ("I am the state"); also used generally in reference to the overweening ego of an absolute ruler

liaison 

a close relationship or connection; an affair. The French meaning is broader; "liaison" also means bond such as in une liaison chimique = " a chemical bond"

Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité 

"Liberty, Equality, Brotherhood"; (motto of the French Republic)

littérateur 

an intellectual; (pejorative in French)

louche 

of questionable taste;

Cajuns are an ethnic group mainly living in Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles and peoples of other ethnicities with whom the Acadians eventually intermarried on the semitropical frontier. ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... A Lamé is the name of the electronically conductive jacket worn by Foil and Sabre fencers. ... A layette is a collection of clothing for a newborn child. ... The little death is a translation from the French la petite mort, a popular reference for a sexual orgasm. ... // An orgasm (sexual climax) is the conclusion of the plateau phase of the sexual response cycle, and is experienced by both males and females. ... Lesprit de lescalier (literally, stairway wit) is a French term that describes the predicament of thinking of the right comeback too late. ... Portrait of Diderot by Louis-Michel van Loo, 1767 Denis Diderot (October 5, 1713 – July 31, 1784) was a French philosopher and writer. ... The term encyclopedist is usually used for a group of French philosophers who collaborated in the 18th century in the production of the Encyclopédie, under the direction of Denis Diderot. ... Louis XIV redirects here. ... Liberté, égalité, fraternité, French for Liberty, equality, fraternity (brotherhood), [1] is the motto of the French Republic, and is a typical example of a tripartite motto. ... An intellectual is a person who uses his or her intellect to study, reflect, or speculate on a variety of different ideas. ...

M

macramé 

coarse lace work made with knotted cords

maison 

house

maître d' 

short for maître d'hotel, headwaiter. (French never uses "d'" alone, as "d'" only means "of" (litt :master of hotel)).

malaise 

a general sense of depression or unease

Mange tout 

another phrase describing 'peas'

mal de mer 

motion sickness, literally "seasickness"

Mardi gras 

Fat Tuesday, the last day of eating meat before Lent. Note that there isn't a capital to gras

marque 

a model or brand

matériel 

supplies and equipment, particularly in a military context (French meaning is broader and corresponds more to "hardware")

mélange 

a mixture

mêlée 

a confused fight; a struggling crowd

ménage à trois 

a sexual arrangement between three people; literally "household for three"; (not typically used if all three are of the same sex)

Merci beaucoup! 

"Thank you very much!"

Merde 

"crap" (literally means "shit")

métier 

a field of work or other activity; usually one in which one has special ability or training

milieu 

social environment; setting

mirepoix 

a cooking mixture of two parts onions and one part each of celery and carrots

mise en place 

a food assembly station in a commercial kitchen

mise en scène 

staging of sets, props, actors, etc. in theater and film

moi 

"me"; often used in English as an ironic reply to an accusation; for example, "Pretentious? Moi?"

moi aussi 

"me too", used to show agreeing with someone

montage 

a blending of pictures, scenes, or sounds

mot juste 

right word. French uses it often in the expression chercher le mot juste (to search for the right word)

motif 

a recurrent thematic element

mousse 

a whipped dessert or a hairstyling foam; in modern French, any kind of foam

Cavandoli Macrame Macramé or Macrame is a form of textile-making using knotting rather than weaving or knitting. ... The maître d (short for maître dhôtel, literally master of the hall) in a suitably staffed restaurant is the person in charge of assigning customers to tables in the establishment, and dividing the dining area into areas of responsibility for the various servers on duty. ... Malaise is a feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness, an out of sorts feeling, often the first indication of an infection or other disease. ... Binomial name Pisum sativum A pea (Pisum sativum) is the small, edible round green seed which grows in a pod on a leguminous vine, hence why it is called a legume. ... Motion sickness or kinetosis is a condition in which a disagreement exists between visually perceived movement and the vestibular systems sense of movement. ... For other uses, see Mardi Gras (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Cuaresma be merged into this article or section. ... A marque (French for brand and pronounced as mark) is a brand name, most commonly used for automobile brands. ... Matériel (from the French for equipment or hardware, related to the word material) is a term used in English to refer to the equipment and supplies in military and commercial supply chain management. ... Codex Manesse: a picture of mêlée at a tournament (from the French, IPA: .) generally refers to disorganized close combat involving a group of fighters. ... Look up ménage à trois in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The social environment is the direct influence of a group of individuals and their contributions to this environment, as both groups and individuals who are in frequent communication with each other within their cultural or socio-economical strata, which create role identity(-ies) and guide the individuals self (sociology... Mirepoix is the French name for a combination of onions, carrots and celery (either common Pascal celery or celeriac). ... Mise en place (IPA pronunciation: ), literally translated from French, means setting in place. ... Mise en scène [mizɑ̃sɛn] has been called film criticisms grand undefined term, but that is not because of a lack of definitions. ... Look up montage in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Mousse is a form of creamy dessert typically made from egg, sugar, and cream usually with other flavors such as chocolate or fruit. ...

N

naïf/naïve 

a man/woman lacking experience, understanding or sophistication

naïveté 

fact of being naïf

né/e 

used to indicate a man/woman’s birth name (maiden name for a woman), such as, "Martha Washington, née Martha Custis"; "born"

n'est-ce pas? 

Isn't it?; asked rhetorically after a statement, as in "Right?"

noblesse oblige 

honorable behavior expected of high rank

nom de guerre 

pseudonym to disguise the identity of a leader of a militant group, literally "war name", used in France for "pseudonym"

nom de plume 

author's pseudonym, literally "pen name". Originally an English phrase, now also used in France

nouveau 

newfangled

nouveau riche 

newly rich

nouvelle cuisine 

new cuisine

nouvelle vague 

Literary mening "new wave". Used for stating a new way or a new trend of something. Originally marked a new style of French filmmaking in 1950 with the secession from the mainstrem cinema

Look up naïve in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up naïve in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Née redirects here. ... In French, noblesse oblige means, literally, nobility obliges. // Noblesse oblige is generally used to imply that with wealth, power, and prestige come social responsibilities. ... For other uses, see Alias. ... A pen name or nom de plume is a pseudonym adopted by an author. ... For the band Nouveau Riche, see Nouveau Riche (band). ... The Nouvelle Cuisine was based on the style of Fernand Point and was developed in France and the USA in the 1970s. ... The New Wave (French: Nouvelle vague) of French cinema was a cinematic movement of the 1960s. ...

O

objet d'art 

a work of art, commonly a painting or sculpture

œuvre 

"work", in the sense of an artist's work; by extension, an artist's entire body of work

P

panache 

verve; flamboyance

papier-mâché 

a craft medium using paper and paste

par excellence 

quintessential; literally "by excellence"

parkour 

urban street sport involving climbing and leaping, using buildings, walls, curbs to ricochet off much as if one were on a skateboard, often in follow-the-leader style.

pas de deux 

a close relationship between two people; a duet in ballet

pas de trois 

a dance for three, usually in ballet.

passé 

out of fashion

pastiche 

a derivative work; an imitation

patois 

a dialect; jargon

peignoir 

a woman’s dressing gown; a negligee (in French, also a bathrobe)

père 

used after a man's surname to distinguish a father from a son, as in "George Bush père."

petite 

small; waiflike; skinny; lit. small

pièce d'occasion 

occasional piece; item written or composed for a special occasion

pied-à-terre 

a second home, usually an apartment in the city

plat du jour 

a dish served in a restaurant on a particular day but which is not part of the regular menu; literally "dish of the day"

plus ça change 

The more things change, the more they stay the same. (from Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose, or Plus ça change, plus c’est pareil.) Usual idiomatically translates as "Same as it ever was."

pot-pourri 

medley, mélange, mixture; literally rotten pot

pour encourager les autres 

to encourage the others, from Voltaire (Candide) [1]

précis 

a concise summary

portemanteau 

a blend; a word which fuses two or more words or parts of words to give a combined meaning; literally carry coat, a large suitcase.

poseur 

a person who pretends to be something he is not; a phony; a poser

prêt-à-porter 

ready-to-wear clothing

prix fixe 

a fixed price meal, sometimes with choices

protégé 

one who receives support from an influential patron

provocateur 

a polemicist

Panache means style or flair. Panaché is the French name for Shandy. ... Papier-mâché around a form such as a balloon to create a pig. ... A traceur performs an arm jump (cat leap), which in french is called a saut de bras. ... Pas de deux is also a dressage preformance using two horses. ... (left to right) Elsa Vill, Pierre Vladimirov, and Elizaveta Gerdt in the Paquita Pas de Trois (AKA Minkus Pas de Trois), St. ... The word pastiche describes a literary or other artistic genre. ... Patois, although without a formal definition in linguistics, can be used to describe a language considered as nonstandard. ... A peignoir is a long nightgown for women usually sheer and made of chiffon. ... A dragon robe from Qing Dynasty of China A robe is a loose-fitting outer garment. ... A pied a terre is a small second home in the city (typically an apartment or a condominium). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... [[An idiom is an expression (i. ... Potpourri is a mixture of dried, naturally fragrant plant material, used to provide a gentle natural scent in houses. ... For the singer of the same name, see Voltaire (musician). ... For the Bernstein operetta based on the book, see Candide (operetta). ... Look up Portmanteau word in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Ready-to-wear or prêt-à-porter is the fashion design term for clothing marketed in a finished condition, in standard clothing sizes (in casual usage, off the rack). ... Table dhote is a French phrase which literally means hosts table but is used to indicate a menu where multi-course meals with limited choices are charged at a fixed rate. ... Mentoring refers to a developmental relationship between a more experienced mentor and a less experienced partner referred to as a mentoree (sometimes vernacularized into mentee) or protégé. // Historical The roots of the practice are lost in antiquity. ... Look up Polemic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Q

Quel dommage! 

"What a pity!"

Quelle horreur! 

What a horrible thing! (often used sarcastically)

Qu'est-ce que c'est? 

"What is this/that?"

Quel est ton animal prefere? 

"What is your favorite animal?"

R

raconteur 

a conversationalist

raison d'être 

justification for existence; "reason for being"

rapport 

to be in someone's "good graces"; to be in synch with someone; "I've developed a rapport with my co-workers"; French for: relationship

rapprochement 

the establishment of cordial relations, often used in diplomacy

recherché 

obscure; pretentious. (usually used in French for sophisticated or delicate)

résumé 

in North American English, a document listing one's qualifications for employment (in French, any kind of summary)

rendez-vous 

a meeting, appointment, or date;

répertoire 

the range of skills of a particular person or group

reportage 

reporting; journalism

répondez s'il vous plaît. (RSVP) 

Please reply. Though francophones may use more usually "prière de répondre", it is common enough. (Note: RSLP ["Réponde s'il lui plaît"] is used on old-fashioned invitations written in the 3rd person, usually in "Script" typography — at least in Belgium.)

ressentiment 

a deep-seated sense of aggrievement and powerlessness

restaurateur 

a restaurant owner

roman à clef 

a fictional account of a true story; literally "novel with a key"

roué 

a hedonist, "cunning devil"

roux 

a cooked mixture of flour and fat used as a base in soups and gravies

A raconteur is a person known for telling amusing stories and anecdotes. ... Italic text:For other uses, see Rapport (disambiguation). ... The French for bring together. Used in English to describe the theory (that) says that children are best able to explore when they have the knowledge of a secure base to return to in times of need. See Attachment theory This article is a stub. ... This article is about negotiations. ... Look up résumé, curriculum vitae, resume in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... North American English is a collective term used for the varieties of the English language that are spoken in the United States and Canada. ... Look up Rendezvous in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Reportage can be a single journalists report of news (especially when witnessed first-hand), distributed through the media. ... RSVP may refer to: Look up RSVP in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Ressentiment (pronounced r&-sän-tE-män, or ray-sawn-tea-mawn) is a term used in Psychology and Existentialist Philosophy that comes from the French word ressentiment (meaning resentment: fr. ... A roman à clef or roman à clé (French for novel with a key) is a novel describing real-life events behind a façade of fiction. ... This article does not cite any sources. ... Roux (IPA: ) (pronounced like the English word rue) is a mixture of wheat flour and fat. ...

S

sabotage 

subversive destruction, from the practice of workers fearful of industrialization destroying machines by tossing their sabots ("wooden shoes") into machinery

saboteur 

one who commits sabotage

Sacrebleu! 

general exclamation of horror and shock; literally "holy blue", blue being the deformation of Dieu (God).

sang-froid 

great coolness and composure under strain; literally "cold blood"

sans 

without

sans-culottes 

an extremist, literally "without pants", name the insurgent crowd in the streets of Paris gave to itself during the French Revolution. It is a way to shake off the monarchy because they usually wore pantaloons (full-length pants or trousers) instead of the chic knee-length culotte of the nobles.

savant 

a wise or learned person; in English referring to an exceptionally gifted individual

savoir-faire 

social grace; means know-how in French.

savoir-vivre 

etiquette

s'il vous plaît 

please; literally "if it pleases you", "if you please"

si vous préférez 

"if you prefer"

sobriquet 

an assumed name, a nickname

soi-disant 

so-called; self-described; literally "oneself saying"

soigné 

fashionable; polished

soirée 

an evening party

Sommelier 

a wine steward

soupçon 

a very small amount (In French, can also mean suspicion)

soupe du jour 

"soup of the day", meaning the particular kind of soup offered that day

succès d’estime 

a "success in the estimation of others", sometimes used pejoratively

sur le tas 

as one goes along; on the fly

For other uses, see Sabotage (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Sabotage (disambiguation). ... This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... Sangfroid-an angry westerner political junkie who frequents forums and analysis each politicial situation with distaste. ... Painted rendition of a sans-culottes. ... Look up savant in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into List of French phrases used by English speakers. ... A sobriquet is a nickname or a fancy name, usually a familiar name given by others as distinct from a pseudonym assumed as a disguise, but a nickname which is familiar enough such that it can be used in place of a real name without the need of explanation. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Soupe du jour is a French phrase meaning soup of the day. It is normally used to refer to the specific flavour of soup being served in a restaurant on a given day. ...

T

table d'hôte 

a full-course meal offered at a fixed price

tableau vivant 

in drama, a scene in which actors remain still as if in a picture

tant mieux 

so much the better

tant pis 

"Oh, well", "that's tough", "too bad".

tête-à-tête  

a private meeting; literally "head-to-head"

toilette 

the process of dressing or grooming and can also mean 'the flush'

touché 

acknowledgment of an effective counterpoint; literally "touched" or "hit!"

tour de force 

a masterly or brilliant stroke, creation, effect, or accomplishment; literally "feat of strength"

très 

very (often ironically)

trompe l'œil 

photograph-like realism in painting; literally "trick the eye"

Table dhote is a French phrase which literally means hosts table but is used to indicate a menu where multi-course meals with limited choices are charged at a fixed rate. ... Tableau vivant, Folies Bergères c. ... In fencing, touché (French: touched) is used as an acknowledgement of a hit, called out by the fencer who is hit. ... trompe loeil dome in the Jesuit church, Vienna, by Andrea Pozzo: the ceiling is only slightly coved Trompe-lœil is an art technique involving extremely realistic imagery in order to create the optical illusion that the depicted objects really exist, instead of actually being a two-dimensional painting. ...

U

V

venu/e 

invited man/woman for a show, once ("come"); unused in modern French, though it can still be used in a few expressions like bienvenu/e (literally well come : welcome) or le premier venu (anyone; literally, the first who came)

vignette 

a brief description; a short scene (in French, a small picture)

vinaigrette 

salad dressing of oil and vinegar; diminutive of vinaigre (vinegar)

vis-à-vis 

in comparison with or in relation to; also "opposite number", literally "face-to-face"

Vive! 

"Long live ...!"; literally "Live"; as in "Vive la France!", “Vive la Résistance!”, "Vive le Canada!", or "Vive le Québec libre!"

Vive la différence. 

Long live the difference. (generally referring to difference between male and female)

Voilà! or Et voilà! 

"There you go!" or "And there you have it!"

volte-face 

a complete reversal of opinion or position, about face

Voulez-vous coucher avec moi (ce soir)?  

"Do you want to sleep with me (tonight)? " (this phrase is rude in modern French as it has no cultural context, unlike in English where it is the title of a song by Labelle [2]).

voyeur 

a peeping tom

In theater and script writing, vignettes are short, impressionistic scenes that focus on one moment or give one impression about a character, an idea, or a setting. ... The word vinaigrette (from the French language) can refer to: An emulsion of vinegar (or sometimes lemon juice) and vegetable oil, often flavored with herbs, spices, and other ingredients. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with cooking oil. ... Vinegar is sometimes infused with spices or herbs—as here, with oregano. ... Look up Vis-à-vis on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Vis-à-vis from the French language, literally face to face, is a type of carriage where the occupants face each other. ... In Australia there is a fabulous Beauty Clinic called VIVA. Her owner and the person who established the business is none other than an Italian - living in Australia. ... The Croix de Lorraine, the symbol of the resistance chosen by de Gaulle French Resistance is the name used for resistance movements during World War II which fought the Nazi German occupation of France and the collaborationist Vichy regime. ... Vive le Canada is an Internet-based grassroots organization stressing Canadian Nationalism. ... Charles De Gaulle delivering the famous speech upon the Montreal city hall balcony. ... Volte-face is a total change of position, as in policy or opinion; an about-face. ... is a version of a French phrase that has become well-known in the English-speaking world through popular songs. ... Labelle (with the b written in small caps, while the spelling LaBelle exclusively refers to the stage surname of the groups lead vocalist, Patti LaBelle) was an American R&B/soul group, who successfully melded disco with funk and glam rock, resulting in such memorable songs as Lady Marmalade... “Voyeur” redirects here. ...

W - X - Y - Z

Zut alors! 

"Darn it all!", a general exclamation. Like Sacre bleu, this is considered old-fashioned by modern French speakers. Just plain zut is still in use, however — often repeated for effect, for example, zut, zut et zut!) (Whether zut is dated or not might depend on context: where merde is not polite enough, zut, zut alors, zut et rezut etc. are still in current use.) There is an album by Frank Zappa titled Zoot Allures.

Frank Vincent Zappa[1] (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American composer, musician, and film director. ... Zoot Allures is a 1976 rock album by Frank Zappa. ...

Only found in English

bureau de change 

a currency exchange (plural bureaux de change). In French, it means the office where you can change your currency

après-garde 

Avant-garde's antonym. French uses arrière-garde (either in a military or artistic context)

auteur 

A film director, specifically one who controls most aspects of a film, or other controller of an artistic situation. The English connotation derives from French film theory. It was popularized in the journal Cahiers du cinéma: auteur theory maintains that directors like Hitchcock exert a level of creative control equivalent to the author of a literary work. In French, the word originally means author, but some expressions like "cinéma d'auteur" are also in use.

cause célèbre 

An issue arousing widespread controversy or heated public debate, lit. famous cause

décolletage 

a low-cut neckline, cleavage (This is actually a case of "false friends": Engl. décolletage = Fr. décolleté; Fr. décolletage means: 1. action of lowering a female garment's neckline; 2. Agric.: cutting leaves from some cultivated roots such as beets, carrots, etc.; 3. Tech. Operation consisting of making screws, bolts, etc. one after another out of a single bar of metal on a parallel lathe.

déjà entendu/lu

already heard/read. They do not exist as an expression in French : the Académie française^[1] says that un déjà vu (a feeling of something already seen) can be used but not un déjà entendu or un déjà lu

demimonde 

a class of women of ill repute; a fringe group or subculture. Fell out of use in the French language in the 19th century.

double entendre 

double meaning, for which Francophones would use « double sens ». The verb entendre, to hear (modern), originally meant to understand. (Note: French usage: "un mot à double sens": a word with more than one meaning; "une phrase à double entente": a sentence with a hidden meaning. "À double entente" is listed in the Petit Larousse 1994 with no mention of its being obsolete or regional.) (It has, however, been found previously in French documents dating back to the 15th century.)

encore 

A request to repeat a performance, as in “Encore !”, lit. again; also used to describe additional songs played at the end of a gig. Francophones would say « Bis ! » (a second time !); or « Une autre ! » (Another one !) to request « un rappel » (an encore). To say « Encore ! » implies a request to reprieve the entire repertoire.

femme 

a stereotypically effeminate gay man or lesbian (slang, pronounced as written). In French, femme means "woman".

maître d’ 

translates as master o'. Francophones would say maître d’hôtel instead (French never uses "d'" alone).

negligee 

A robe or a dressing gown, usually of sheer or soft fabric for women. French uses négligé (masculine form, with accents). Négligée qualifies a woman who neglects her appearance.

pièce de résistance  

the best; the main meal, literally "a piece that resists". Francophones use plat de résistance (main dish)

repartee 

clever banter. Is written répartie in French (répartée means nothing; repartie means a womanfeminine object that has gone again)

risqué 

sexually suggestive; in French, the meaning of risqué is "risky", with no sexual connotation

succès de scandale 

Success through scandal; Francophones might use « succès par médisance ».

voir dire 

jury selection (Law French)Literally "to see" and "to say."

A bureau de change is an organisation or facility which allows customers to exchange one currency for another. ... The term auteur (French for author) is used to describe film directors (or, more rarely, producers or writers) who are considered to have a distinctive, recognizable vision, because they (a) repeatedly return to the same subject matter, (b) habitually address a particular psychological or moral theme, (c) employ a recurring... Cahiers du cinéma is an influential French film magazine founded in 1951 by André Bazin, Jacques Doniol-Valcroze and Joseph-Marie Lo Duca. ... Look up cause célèbre in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Cleavage is the partial exposure of a womans breasts, and/or the intermammary sulcus (the cleft between them), particularly when exposed by low-cut clothing. ... The Académie française In the French educational system an académie LAcadémie française, or the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. ... Demimonde (French for half-world) is a polite 19th century term that was often used the same way we use the term mistress today. ... A double entendre is a figure of speech similar to the pun, in which a spoken phrase can be understood in either of two ways. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Le Petit Larousse is a French-language reference book (although a Spanish-language version is also published) first appearing in 1905 and later published in a 100th anniversary edition in 2005. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Encore may be referring to one of the following: Adobe Encore, a software program by Adobe Systems intended for authoring DVDs. ... For the album by The Cure, see Concert (album). ... Exhibiting and/or behaving and/or identifying with feminine traits. ... The maître dhôtel, literally master of the hall, in a suitably staffed restaurant, is the person in charge of assigning customers to tables in the establishment, and dividing the dining area into areas of responsibility for the various waiters on duty. ... The negligee is a form of womenswear intended for wear at night and in the bedroom or in a airport parking lot. ... Pièce de résistance is a French term (circa 1839), translated into English literally as piece of resistance, referring to the best part or feature of something (as in a meal), a showpiece, or highlight. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... The phrase voir dire derives from Middle French; in modern English it is interpreted to mean speak the truth and generally refers to the process by which prospective jurors are questioned about their backgrounds and potential biases before being invited to sit on a jury. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

French phrases in international air-sea rescue

International authorities have adopted a number of words and phrases from French for use by speakers of all languages in voice communications during air-sea rescues. Note that the "phonetic" versions are presented as shown and not the IPA.

SECURITAY 

(securité, “safety”) the following is a safety message or warning, the lowest level of danger.

PAN PAN

(panne, “breakdown”) the following is a message concerning a danger to a person or ship, the next level of danger.

MAYDAY

([venez] m'aider, come help me"; note that aidez-moi means "help me") the following is a message of extreme urgency, the highest level of danger. (MAYDAY is used on voice channels for the same uses as SOS on Morse channels.)

SEELONCE 

(silence, “silence”) keep this channel clear for air-sea rescue communications.

SEELONCE FEE NEE 

(silence fini, “silence is over”) this channel is now available again.

PRU DONCE 

(prudence, “prudence”) silence partially lifted, channel may be used again for urgent non-distress communication.

MAY DEE CAL 

(médical, “medical”) medical assistance needed.

It is a serious breach in most countries, and in international zones, to use any of these phrases without justification. Pan Pan is a lost small Hindu Kingdom believed to have existed around 3rd-5th Century CE., somewhere in Kelantan or Terengganu, Malaysia. ... Mayday is an emergency code word used internationally as a distress signal in voice procedure radio communications, derived from the French maider, meaning help me. ... 1922 Chart of the Morse Code Letters and Numerals Morse code is a method for transmitting telegraphic information, using standardized sequences of short and long elements to represent the letters, numerals, punctuation and special characters of a message. ...

See Mayday (distress signal) for a more detailed explanation. Mayday is an emergency code word used internationally as a distress signal in voice procedure radio communications, derived from the French maider, meaning help me. ...

See also

• List of French phrases
• Pseudo-Gallicisms
• Law French
• French language
• List of Latin words with English derivatives
• List of Latin phrases
• List of Greek phrases
• List of German expressions in English

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into List of French phrases used by English speakers. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... French (français, langue française) is one of the most important Romance languages, outnumbered in speakers only by Spanish and Portuguese. ... This is a list of Latin words with derivatives in English (and other modern languages). ... This page lists direct English translations of common Latin phrases, such as veni vidi vici and et cetera. ... List of Greek Phrases/Proverbs (h)a AgeōmetrÄ“tos mÄ“deis eisitō. Let no-one without knowledge of geometry enter. Motto over the entrance to Platos Academy (quoted in Elias commentary on Aristotles Categories). ... This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy certain standards for completeness. ...

References

• Communications Instructions, Distress and Rescue Procedures (pdf), Combined Communications-Electronics Board
• Hutchinson Dictionary of Difficult Words, Helicon Publishing, Ltd.
• Online Etymology Dictionary, Harper, D.
• Je Ne Sais What?: A Guide to de rigueur Frenglish for Readers, Writers, and Speakers, Winokur, J.