In today’s lesson we’ll have a look at a list of 60 French words used in English. Actually, a very large percentage of English words are of French origin. When I first wrote this post in 2012 I came up with this list by simply thinking of which French words I’d personally use. I used my own voice for the audio in this post. I’m not a native speaker but my accent is pretty much “there”!
Listen to the podcast of this lesson.
English words of French origin
- à la – To the/in the manner of
- à la carte – Restaurant menu items sold separately or individually usually in smaller portions.
- à la mode – Refers to serving a desert with ice cream, eg “apple pie à la mode.
- à propos – regarding/concerning
- adieu – good-bye or farewell
- amuse-bouche – Small bite-size hors d’œuvre
- apéritif – A drink taken before a meal, usually alcoholic
- au jus – Culinary term referring to serving a dish with sauce
- blasé – Not being impressed due to over-familiarity
- bon appétit – “Enjoy your meal” – said before eating
- bon vivant – Somebody who enjoys their life
- boy voyage – Enjoy your trip!
- bourgeois – Preoccupied with material values and class rank or status
- brunette – Usually refers to a female with brown hair
- café – A coffee house
- café au lait – Coffee with milk
- chic – Stylish, in fashion
- cliché – A saying that is used to often
- clique – A tight or exclusive group – pronounced “Click” in English.
- crèche – Nativity scene for christmas
- crème brûlée – Desert with custard and caramelized sugar
- crème de la crème – Best of the best
- critique – An analysis of one’s work
- cul-de-sac – dead-end street
- décor – Referring to home decorating
- déjà vu – Literally “already seen” but refers to situations that seem like they’ve happened before.
- dossier – A file containing information about a person
- eau de toilette – Aromatic splashing water used after bathing; a mild perfume or cologne
- eau de vie – Whiskey, brandy or other strong alcoholic beverages.
- en garde – “Take your guard” – said in the sport of fencing.
- entre nous – Between us…
- entrée – The main dish of a meal (US) or the first course of a meal (UK)
- façade – A fake persona or false impressions
- faux – Adjective for fake, eg faux fur for fake fur
- faux pas – Something one must not do in order to remain polite
- femme fatale – A seductrice harboring bad intentions.
- fiancé/e – A woman or man who will be married.
- gaffe – Stupid mistake or blunder; Fais gaffe! Be careful! Watch out!
- genre – Type or kind
- haute cuisine – High-end or gourmet cooking
- hors d’œuvre – Appetizer
- joie de vivre – Joy of living
- laissez-faire – Political philosophy referring to non-interference
- malaise – Sickness or not feeling comfortable
- Mardi Gras – Fat Tuesday, annual festival celebrated in New Orleans.
- milieu – Social environment
- né, née – Born, used in writing when referring to a woman’s maiden name.
- nouveau riche – Refers to people who have recently become wealthy but were previously poor.
- panache – Flamboyance
- par avion – Air mail
- prêt-à-porter – Ready to wear
- raison d’être – Reason or purpose for existing
- rapprochement – Diplomatic term for two states or bodies moving towards each other
- renaissance – Literally “rebirth” – Refers to 14-17th century Europe
- savant – Knowing or brilliant – often used in relation to those with Autism.
- soirée – Refers to an evening party
- soupe du jour – Soup of the day.
- tête-à-tête – Literally “head-to-head” – Refers to two people facing offer in a close debate.
- vinaigrette – Oil and vinegar salad dressing
- vis-à-vis – Comparing one thing in relation to another
English loan words from French
Following hundreds of years of wars between France and England, the history of the English borrowing words from the French langauge is long and extensive. I am not an expert in this area of loan words. If you’d like to develop your knowledge, have a look at Princeton University’s Émigrés: French Words That Turned English.
French vocabulary | Lessons by David Issokson
