Although the English language represents an eclectic mix of so many other languages, perhaps no one language has had as tremendous an impact on its vocabulary as French. You might be surprised at how many words you already use in your daily conversations without even realizing that they are French. These “borrowed” words, more properly called loanwords, fit into our speech so well, often adding a certain je ne sais quoi associated with sophistication, eloquence, or even precision.
Below is a list of 95 French words we commonly use in English along with their meanings and pronunciations.
- Déjà vu (dey-zhah voo): The feeling that one has experienced a situation before.
- Fiancé/Fiancée (fee-ahn-say): A man or woman that you have promised to marry, using fiancé if the person is a male and fiancée if the person is a female.
- Cliché (klee-shay): An overused expression or concept.
- Ballet (bal-ley): A traditional style of dance.
- Café (ka-fey): A small place for food and drink, especially coffee.
- Faux pas (foh pah): A social mistake or blunder.
- Entrepreneur (ahn-truh-pruh-nur): A person who starts and runs a business.
- Cul-de-sac (kuhl-duh-sak): A dead-end street.
- Touché (too-shay): Acknowledgment of a clever or a good point in the argument.
- Brunette (broo-net): A woman with dark brown hair.
- Rendezvous (rahn-de-voo): A planned meeting or appointment.
- Ménage à trois (mey-nazh ah twah): A relationship between three people.
- RSVP (res-pondez s’il vous plaît): Please respond (used on invitations).
- Bon appétit (boh-nah-pay-tee): Enjoy your meal!
- Encore (ahn-kor): A repeated or additional performance, usually at the end of a concert.
- Souvenir (soo-veh-neer): A keepsake or memento.
- Chic (sheek): Stylish and fashionable.
- Blond(e) (blond): A person with light hair, with blonde used for females.
- Carte blanche (kart blahnsh): Freedom to act as one sees fit.
- Baguette (bag-et): A long, narrow loaf of French bread.
- Buffet (boo-fey): A meal in which guests help themselves from a number of dishes.
- Matinée (mat-in-ay): A performance, usually in a theater, that is given in the daytime.
- Couture (koo-toor): High-fashion design and sewing.
- Bourgeois (boor-zhwah): Relating to the middle class, often implying materialistic concerns.
- Chef (shef): A professional cook.
- Critique (kri-teek): An analysis and evaluation or judgment.
- Silhouette (sil-oo-et): The outline or general shape of something.
- Genre (zhon-ruh): A class or category, especially of art, music, or literature.
- Tête-à-tête (tet ah tet): An intimate conversation between two persons.
- Bureau (byoo-roh): An office or department.
- Coup (koo): A violent and sudden political change or takeover.
- Mousse (moos): A light dessert made with cream or a product for styling hair.
- A la carte (ah lah kart): Ordering dishes as one desires or individually rather than as part of a set meal.
- Façade (fuh-sahd): The front of the building, or a superficial appearance.
- En route (on root): On the way to.
- Crème brûlée (krem broo-lay): A dessert made of rich custard topped with caramelized sugar.
- Hors d’oeuvre (or-derv): Small dishes served before a meal.
- Depot (dee-poh): A storage place or transport terminal.
- Gourmet (goor-may): One who appreciates good food and drink.
- Risqué (ree-skay): Slightly indecent or shocking, especially in a sexual context.
- Noir (nwar): A genre of crime fiction or film marked by cynicism and bleakness.
- Eau de toilette (oh duh twah-let): A lightly scented cologne.
- Repertoire (rep-er-twahr): A collection of works or performances a person or company can perform.
- Panache (puh-nash): Flamboyant confidence or flair.
- Sabotage (sab-uh-tahzh): Deliberate destruction or disruption.
- Vogue (vohg): The prevailing fashion or trend.
- Quiche (keesh): A tart filled with eggs, cheese, and other fillings.
- Gaffe (gaf): An embarrassing mistake or blunder.
- Blasé (blah-zay): Unimpressed or indifferent from over-familiarity.
- Manicure (man-i-kyoor): A cosmetic treatment of the hands and fingernails.
- Raison d’être (rey-zawn det-ruh): A person’s main purpose or reason for existence.
- Aubergine (oh-bur-zheen): French for eggplant.
- Chauffeur (shoh-fur): A person employed to drive a private or hired car.
- Pirouette (peer-oo-et): A ballet spin or turn on one foot.
- Faux (foh): False, fake.
- Croissant (krwah-sawn): A buttery, crescent-shaped pastry.
- Bureaucracy (byoo-rok-ruh-see): A system of government or organization managed by departments staffed with officials.
- Masquerade (mas-kuh-rayd): A party or event where people wear masks.
- Sabotage (sab-oh-tahzh): The deliberate destruction of or damage to something.
- Avant-garde (ah-vahnt gard): Innovative, especially in the arts or culture.
- Mardi Gras (mar-dee grah): An annual festival, known as “Fat Tuesday.”
- Couture (koo-toor): High fashion, clothes tailored.
- Joie de vivre (zhwah duh veev-ruh): Enjoyment of life with energy.
- Protégé (pro-teh-zhey): A person under the protection of someone more experienced.
- Dossier (dos-ee-ay): A collection of documents concerning one person or one case.
- Fiancé(e) (fee-ahn-say): A man or woman who is engaged to get married.
- Montage (mon-tahzh): A series of images or clips brought together in a story.
- Sommelier (saw-muhl-yay): A wine expert or steward.
- Sauté (soh-tay): To fry quickly in a small amount of oil.
- Pique (peek): To provoke curiosity or interest.
- Bête noire (bet nwar): Something or someone particularly disliked.
- Trompe-l’œil (tromp loy): An art technique that creates the optical illusion of three-dimensionality.
- Denouement (day-noo-mahn): The final resolution of a plot.
- Camaraderie (kah-mah-rah-de-ree): A sense of trust and friendship among people.
- Elan (ey-lahn): Energy, style, and enthusiasm.
- Mélange (mey-lanzh): A mixture or medley.
- Crème de la crème (krem duh lah krem): The very best.
- Chalet (sha-lay): A house or cottage that is commonly found in mountainous areas.
- Gourmand (goor-mahn): A person who takes great pleasure in good food.
- Par excellence (par ex-cell-lance): Above all others, in an excellent manner.
- Savant (sa-vahnt): A learned person, scholar.
- Rappel (rah-pel): The process of going down a perpendicular wall by rope.
- Eclair (ay-klair): A cream-filled pastry, iced.
- Rouge (roozh): A reddish powder or cream applied to the cheeks as makeup.
- Motif (moh-teef): A recurring theme or idea.
- Renaissance (reh-na-sahnce): The era of cultural and artistic rebirth.
- Cuisine (kwee-zeen): A style or manner of cooking.
- Cravat (kruh-vat): A necktie shaped like a scarf.
- Sachet (sa-shay): A small bag, usually containing some scented matter.
- Toupée (too-pay): A small lock of false hair, especially to cover a bald spot.
- Entrée (ahn-tray): The chief course of a meal.
- Laissez-faire (less-ay fair): A policy of non-interference, especially in economic matters.
- Vignette (veen-yet): A short, evocative description or episode.
- Verve (vurv): Liveliness, energy, and enthusiasm.
- Gala (gah-lah): A celebration, esp. one featuring entertainment or a formal dinner.
Conclusion
French has a surefire influence on English, particularly on those words that introduce grace and exactness into everyday speech. From the arts to cuisine, from business to good manners, the infusion of French words gives color to our language in ways we perhaps take for granted but surely will learn to appreciate.
