French Words Used in English
A list of French words and phrases, as well as explanations, that are used in the English language.
Unknown to most, there are a plethora of French words and phrases that are used quite commonly in the English language.
The following is a comprehensive list of some examples:
adieu
“To God.” Means “good-bye.”
à la
“In the style of.” E.g. a food that is in the Greek style is “à la Greque” and pie with ice cream on top is in the fashionable style, or “à la mode.”
à propos
“With reference to.” I said something à propos of nothing.
au gratin
Covered with melted cheese.
au naturel
Covered with nothing. Nude.
avant-garde
A “vanguard” (the English equivalent) was the part of an army that marched in front. Now it means anything that is very new in fashion.
bête noire
“Black beast.” Anything that you fear and hate is your bête noire.
bon appétit
“Good appetite!” Say this before eating.
bourgeois
As a noun, it means “middle class.” As an adjective, it means “conventional, materialistic, and boring.”
boutonnière
In French, it just means “buttonhole.” In English, it is the flower in the lapel of a man’s jacket.
café
A coffeehouse or small, cheap, restaurant.
cause célèbre
A “famous case”; it is something that everyone is talking about.
chauvinism
The belief that members of your group are better than anyone else. (Nicolas Chauvin was one of Napoleon’s supporters). In French, it is spelled “chauvinisme.”
corsage
In French, it is a piece of clothing that covers the chest. In English, it is a flower on a woman’s dress or jacket. It is the custom for a man to present his date with a corsage to wear on an important evening out, such as a graduation ceremony.
coup d’état
“Attack on the state.” A “coup” (as it is sometimes abbreviated) is where the army suddenly replaces the government of its country.
coup de grâce
“Stroke of kindness.” Originally, this meant cutting the throat of a wounded enemy to stop their suffering. Now it means the final action that defeats someone else. “I was already better than him at school. Beating him in the tennis game, too, was just the coup de grâce.”
cul-de-sac
“Bottom of the bag.” A street that goes nowhere, but just stops.
décolletage
A low-cut lady’s neckline, exposing some of the breast. Alternatively, it is the portion of the breast exposed by a low neckline. Although this is from the French verb “décolleter,” “décolletage” is not often used in French. (We borrow from French, but that does not mean that we borrow accurately!)
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