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French

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also:french

English

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Etymology

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Inherited fromMiddle EnglishFrenche,Frensch,Frensc,Frenshe,Frenk,Franche, fromOld EnglishFrenċisċ(“Frankish, French”), fromProto-West Germanic*Frankisk(“Frankish”), equivalent toFrank +‎-ish (compareFrankish). Cognate withMiddle Low Germanvranksch,frenkisch,vrenkesch,vrenksch(“Frankish, French”),Middle High Germanvrenkisch,vrensch("Frankish, Franconian; >Germanfränkisch(“Frankish, Franconian”)),Danishfransk(“French”),Swedishfransk,fransysk(“French”),Icelandicfranska(“French”).

Doublet ofFrankish;piecewise doublet ofFrancis,Franz, andFrancisco, which are derived fromLate LatinFranciscus

In reference to vulgar language, from expressions such aspardon my French in the early 19th century, originally in reference to actual (but often mildly impolite) French expressions by the upper class, subsequently adopted ironically by the lower class for English curse words under the charitable conceit that the listener would not be familiar with them.

In reference to vermouth, a shortened form ofFrench vermouth, distinguished as usually being drier thanItalian vermouth.

Pronunciation

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Proper noun

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French (countable anduncountable,pluralFrenches)

  2. (chiefly uncountable) Thelanguage ofFrance,shared by theneighboringcountriesBelgium,Monaco, andSwitzerland and byformerFrenchcolonies around the world.
    Synonyms:fr,fre(symbols)
    She speaksFrench.
    • c. 1390,Robert Grosseteste, translatingChateau d'Amour asThe Castle of Love, ll. 25 ff.:
      Nemowe wealle Latinwite...
      NeFrench...
    • 1533,Thomas More,The Debellacyon of Salem & Bizance, fol. 96:
      I...wolde also bebolde in suchfrench as ispeculiare to thelawys of thisrealme, toleue itwyth them inwrytynge to.
    • 1720,Daniel Defoe,Memoirs of a Cavalier, page13:
      I could speak but littleFrench.
    • 1991, Michael Clyne,Pluricentric Languages: Differing Norms in Different Nations, Walter de Gruyter,→ISBN, page169:
      Thus, complementary to theFrench of France, the Quebecois (and in a lesser degree theFrenches of Africa, SwissFrench, etc.) would constitute languages in their own right.
    • 1997, Albert Valdman,French and Creole in Louisiana, page29:
      Almost three quarters of the population 65 and older reported speakingFrench.
    • 2004, Jack Flam,Matisse and Picasso: The Story of Their Rivalry and Friendship, page18:
      Although he would spend the rest of his life in France, Picasso never mastered the language, and during those early years he was especially self-conscious about how bad hisFrench was.
    • 2013, Jocelyn Wogan-Browne,Language and Culture in Medieval Britain: The French of England, C.1100-c.1500, Boydell & Brewer Ltd,→ISBN, page361:
      TheFrenches of England remain as working languages in the different registers of various occupational communities and for particular social rituals. Beyond the fifteenth century,French is a much less substantial presence in England, though[…]
    • 2022, “2023 Laws of Chess”, inFIDE‎[1], page21:
      For the abbreviation of the name of the pieces, each player is free to use the name which is commonly used in his/her country. Examples: F = fou (French for bishop), L = loper (Dutch for bishop). In printed periodicals, the use of figurines is recommended.
  3. (uncountable) Theability of aperson tocommunicate in French.
    MyFrench is a little rusty.
    • 1742 April 4, R. West, letter to Thomas Gray:
      [Racine's] language is the language of the times, and that of the purest sort; so that hisFrench is reckoned a standard.
  4. (uncountable) Frenchlanguage andliterature as anobject ofstudy.
    I'm takingFrench next semester.
  6. (uncountable, euphemistic, now often ironic)Vulgarlanguage.
    • 1845, Edward Jerningham Wakefield,Adventure in New Zealand, volume I, page327:
      The enraged headsman spares no 'badFrench' in explaining his motives.
    • 1986,John Hughes,Ferris Bueller's Day Off':
      Cameron: Pardon myFrench, but you're anasshole!
    • 2005 May 29,New York Times Book Review, page12:
      The book... is a welcome change from theory-infected academic discourse, pardon myFrench.
  7. (countable)Asurname originating as an ethnonym.
    DawnFrench.
    • 2017 July 14, Jason Wilson, “Like father like son? What conservatives are writing about Donald Trump Jr”, inThe Guardian‎[2]:
      DavidFrench was a high profile #nevertrump conservative who even toyed with running for president against him.

Derived terms

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Descendants

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Translations

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principal language of France and other related countries
vulgar language

See also

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Noun

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French (countable anduncountable,pluralFrenchorFrenches)

  1. (chiefly collective and in theplural) Thepeople ofFrance;groups ofFrenchpeople.
    The Hundred Years' War was fought between the English and theFrench.
    Under the Fourth Republic, more and moreFrench unionized.
    • 1579, Francesco Guicciardini as, translated by Geoffrey Fenton,The Historie of Guicciardin, page378:
      […]to breake the necke of the wicked purposes & plots of theFrench[…]
    • 1653,François Rabelais, translated by Thomas Urquhart,Works of Mr. Francis Rabelais, volume I, page214:
      Such is the nature and complexion of thefrenches, that they are worth nothing, but at the first push.
    • 2002, Jeremy Thornton,The French and Indian War, page14:
      On the way, scouts reported that someFrench were heading toward them across the ice.
    • 2024 October 3, Ashifa Kassam, “How remigration became a buzzword for global far right”, inThe Guardian‎[3]:
      While the concept of remigration has long existed in academia, its hijacking by the far right on social media appears to have begun about a decade ago whenFrench adherents to identitarianism, an ethno-nationalist movement, organised what they described as the inaugural meeting in Paris on remigration.
  2. (uncountable, dated slang, sex)Synonym oforal sex,especiallyfellatio.
    • 1916, Henry Nathaniel Cary,The Slang of Venery and Its Analogues‎[4], volume I, page94:
      French--[sic] to do theFrench--Cocksucking; and, inversely, to tongue a woman.
    • 1968, Bill Turner,Sex Trap, page64:
      You can be whipped or caned... or you can haveFrench for another pound.
    • 1986 May 6,Semper Floreat, page34:
      Always use condoms with Greek (anal intercourse), straight sex (vaginal intercourse, fucking),French (oral sex).
    • 1996 October 13,Observer, page25:
      ‘French’—still used by prostitutes as a term for oral sex.
  4. (chiefly uncountable, dated slang)Ellipsis ofFrench vermouth, a type of dryvermouth.
    • 1930, Ethel Mannin,Confessions & Impressions, page177:
      Tearle replied that gin-and-French and virginian cigarettes would do for him.
    • 1967, Michael Francis Gilbert,The Dust & the Heat, page14:
      He was drinking double gins with singleFrenches in them.
  5. (countable, non-native speakers' English) AFrenchperson.

Usage notes

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  • The use of the plural formFrenches occurred in early modern English but is only exceptionally encountered in contemporary English. As with other collective demonyms,French is preceded by thedefinite article or some otherdeterminer when referring to the people of France collectively.

Derived terms

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Descendants

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Translations

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people of France, collectively
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions atWiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Adjective

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French (comparativemoreFrenchorFrencher,superlativemostFrenchorFrenchest)

TheFrench national football team.
  1. Of or relating toFrance.
    theFrench border with Italy
    • 2015 May 3, “Standardized Testing”, inLast Week Tonight with John Oliver, season 2, episode12,John Oliver (actor), via HBO:
      That must have hurt, especially because you knew theFrench children weren’t even trying. “Uh, go on, play weez your seellee nambeurs. Zey tell you nosseeng of ze true naytcheur of ze soula. I’ll weepa for you.”
  2. Of or relating to the people orculture of France.
    Hypernym:European
    French customs
  3. Of or relating to theFrench language.
    Hypernym:Indo-European
    French verbs
  4. (slang, sexuality) Of or related tooral sex, especiallyfellatio.
    Coordinate term:straight
    French active ―person who is fellated
    French girl ―a prostitute who offers fellatio
    • 1946,Milton “Mezz” Mezzrow,Bernard Wolfe, “Not too Far Tangent”, inReally the Blues, New York, N.Y.:Random House,book 1 (1899–1923: A Nothin’ but a Child),page23:
      She was a tall redhead, with a shape that would make you jump for joy and a reputation as the bestFrench girl in the place.
  5. (informal, often euphemistic)Used to form names or references tovenereal diseases.
    French disease ―a venereal disease
    French crown ―hair loss from venereal disease
    French pox ―syphillis
  6. Used to form names or references to an unconventional or fancy style.
    French curve ―drafting template having edges of various curvatures
    French cut ―sliced lengthwise in thin strips
    French fries ―french cut potato fries
    French kiss ―kissing with the tongue
    French manicure ―painting white under the finger nails
    French window orFrench door ―double wooden windows or doors crafted with panes of glass
    French refrigerator ―continuous refrigerator space on top accessed by two doors, with a freezer drawer below
    French polish ―type of glossy varnish for wood
    French inhale ―act of expelling cigarette smoke from the mouth and simultaneously inhaling it through the nose
    French exit orFrench leave ―hasty exit made without saying farewells to anybody
    French toast ―Food prepared by dipping bread into egg batter and frying

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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Translations

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of or relating to France
of or relating to the French people
of or relating to the French language
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions atWiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Verb

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French (third-person singular simple presentFrenches,present participleFrenching,simple past and past participleFrenched)

  1. Alternativeletter-case form offrench.
    • 1995, Jack Womack,Random Acts of Senseless Violence, page87:
      Even before I thought about what I was doing weFrenched and kissed with tongues.

Alternative forms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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to french—seefrench

See also

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References

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Further reading

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