Language/English/Vocabulary/French-words-used-in-English
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Here are some of the main English words with a French origin.
Feel free to complete this list 😊
Take a moment to explore these relevant pages as you conclude this lesson: Difference between ROBBER, BURGLAR ..., Words ending with the suffix less, Along & Colors.
A[edit | edit source]
- Allowance – from the Old French word alouance (payment)
- Apostrophe – from the French word apostrophe
- Attaché – from the French word attaché (attached)
- Apéritif – from the French word apéritif
- Avant-garde – from the French word avant-garde
- Aviation – from the French word aviation
B[edit | edit source]
- Bachelor – from the Anglo-Norman word bacheler (bachelier in modern French)
- Baguette – from the French word baguette (stick)
- Ballet – from the French word ballet
- Beret – from the French word béret
- blond - from the French blond, describing someone who is male with light-coloured hair
- blonde - from the French blonde, describintête-à-têteg someone who is female with light-coloured hair. Interestingly, blond/blonde follow masculine and feminine usage in English like it does in French.
- Bon voyage – from the French phrase bon voyage (have a good journey)
- Brunette – from the French word brunette
- Bureau – from the French word bureau (desk, office)
C[edit | edit source]
- Cabaret – from the French word cabaret
- Cadet – from the French word cadet
- Champagne – from the French word champagne
- Chauffeur – from the French word chauffeur
- chef - from the French word chef
- Chic – from the French word chic (élégant)
- Cliché – from the French word cliché
- Connoisseur – from the French word connaisseur
- Croissant – from the French word croissant
- Cul-de-sac – from the French word cul-de-sac (bottom of the bag/sack)
D[edit | edit source]
- Debris – from the French word débris (broken, crumbled)
- Déjà vu – from the French words déjà (already) and vu (seen – past participle of ‘voir’)
- Delegate – from the Old French word delegat
- Detour – from the French word détour (from détourner)
- Dossier – from the French word dossier
E[edit | edit source]
- Eau de toilette – from the French word eau de toilette
- Elite – from the Old French word elit (chosen)
- Energy – from the Middle French word énergie
- En route – from the French en route
- Entrepreneur - from the Frnech "entrepreneur"
- Envisage – from the French word envisager
- Expatriate – from the French word expatrier
F[edit | edit source]
- Facade – from the French word façade
- Faux, as in faux fur – from the French word faux (false)
- Faux-pas – from the French word faux pas
- Fiancé – from the French word fiancé
- Film noir – from the French word film noir (a film genre)
G[edit | edit source]
- Gallery – from the Old French word galerie
- Gastronomy – from the French word gastronomie
- Gateau – from the French word gâteau
- Gazette – from the French word gazette
H[edit | edit source]
- Heritage – from the Old French word eritage (héritage in modern French)
- Homage – from the Old French word homage
- Hotel – from the French word hôtel
I[edit | edit source]
- Identity – from the Middle French word identité
- Illusion – from the Old French word illusion
- Insult – from the Middle French words insult (noun) and insulter (verb)
- Irony – from the Middle French word ironie
J[edit | edit source]
- Jubilee – from the Middle French word jubile (modern French jubilé)
- Kilogram – from the French word kilogramme
L[edit | edit source]
- Lacrosse – from the Canadian French word la crosse (the stick)
- Laissez-faire – from the French word laissez-faire (leave things to take their course)
- Liaison – from the French word liaison
- Literature – from the Old French word littérature
M[edit | edit source]
- Machine – from the Middle French word machine
- Magnificent – from the Middle French word magnificent
- Maisonette – from the French word maisonette
- Massage – from the French word massage
- Menu – from the French word menu
- Metabolism – from the French word métabolisme
- Metro – from the French word métro
- Musketeer – from the French word mousquetaire
N[edit | edit source]
- Navy – from the Old French word navie
- Neutral – from the Middle French word neutral
- Nocturnal – from the Middle French word nocturnal
- Novel – from the Old French word novel
O[edit | edit source]
- Occasion – from the Middle French word occasion
- Omelette – from the French word omelette
- Optimism – from the French word optimisme
- Papier-mâché – from the French word papier-mâché
P[edit | edit source]
- Parasol – from the French word parasol
- Poetic – from the Middle French word poétique
- Premiere – from the French word première
- Purify – from the Old French word purifier
R[edit | edit source]
- Recipient – from the Middle French word récipient
- Rendez-vous – from the French word rendez-vous (appointment)
- Reservoir – from the French word ‘réservoir’ (collection place)
- Resumé – from the French word ‘résumé’. It means CV in English and "Summary" in French.
- Restaurant – from the French word restaurant
- Ricochet – from the French word ricochet
- Rich – from the French word riche
- Ridicule – from the French word ridicule
- Risqué – from the French word risqué
S[edit | edit source]
- Sabotage – from the French word sabotage
- Salad – from the French word salade
- Sentiment – from the Old French word sentement
- Silhouette – from the French word silhouette
- Solicitor – from the Middle French word soliciteur
- Souvenir – from the French word souvenir (memory)
- Soufflé – from the French word soufflé
- Soup – from the French word soupe
T[edit | edit source]
- Technique – from the French word technique
- Television – from the French word télévision
- tete-a-tete - from the French expression tête-à-tête
- Tournament – from the Old French word tornoiement (tournoiement in modern French)
U[edit | edit source]
- Uniform – from the Middle French word uniforme
- Utensil – from the Old French word utensile
V[edit | edit source]
- Valid – from the Middle French word valide
- Variety – from the Middle French word varieté
- Vinaigrette – from the French word vinaigrette
Z[edit | edit source]
- Zest – from the French word zeste
Sources[edit | edit source]
https://blog.busuu.com/french-words-in-english/
Videos[edit | edit source]
French Words Used in English - YouTube[edit | edit source]
French words in English language (when to use them!) - YouTube[edit | edit source]
French Phrases Hidden in English Words - YouTube[edit | edit source]
ENGLISH used daily in FRENCH | English Words in the French ...[edit | edit source]
Formal & Informal Vocabulary: Using French words in English ...[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Slang Abbreviations
- Along
- Colors
- Words ending with the suffix less
- Almost and nearly; practically
- Tricky words
- Top 1000 Inspirational quotes
- Tongue twisters
- Phrasal verbs with out
- longest word