French–English dictionary

martienne

Of or relating to the planet Mars, or (science fiction) its imagined inhabitants. [from 19th c.]

Martin

A en given name originally given in honor of a fourth century soldier-saint.

Martine

A en given name.

martinet

(BDSM) A lightweight whip with multiple lashes.

martini

(sometimes, proscribed) Any cocktail served in a cocktail glass, often sweet or fruity and aimed at women.

Martinique

An island, overseas department, and administrative region of France in the Caribbean. Official name: Department of Martinique.

martre

Any carnivorous mammal of the genus Martes.

martyr

One who willingly accepts being put to death or willingly accepts challenging and exposing iniquity done to oneself for adhering openly to one's religious beliefs; notably, saints canonized after red martyrdom.

martyre

One who willingly accepts being put to death or willingly accepts challenging and exposing iniquity done to oneself for adhering openly to one's religious beliefs; notably, saints canonized after red martyrdom.

martyriser

(transitive) To make someone into a martyr by putting them to death for adhering to, or acting in accordance with, some belief, especially religious; to sacrifice on account of faith or profession.

Marx

A surname from German

marxien

Of, pertaining to, or influenced by the 19th-century philosopher Karl Marx and his political and economic theories; now often distinguished from Marxist by the nuance that one does not necessarily adhere to Marxism itself. [from 19th c.]

marxiste

Of, pertaining to, or influenced by the 19th-century philosopher Karl Marx and his political and economic theories; now often distinguished from Marxist by the nuance that one does not necessarily adhere to Marxism itself. [from 19th c.]

Maryland

A state of the United States; named for Queen Mary, queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland. Capital: Annapolis. Largest city: Baltimore.

Mascara

A city and provincial capital in northwestern Algeria.

mascarade

An assembly or party of people wearing (usually elaborate or fanciful) masks and costumes, and amusing themselves with dancing, conversation, or other diversions.

mascaret

A sudden and rapid flow of tide occurring in certain rivers and estuaries which rolls up as a wave.

Mascate

The capital city of Oman.

masculin

Belonging to the sex which typically produces sperm, or to the gender which is typically associated with it. [from 14th c.]

masculinité

The quality of being manly; the set of qualities, traits and abilities considered appropriate to men (as opposed to women or children); similarity to a man.

mash

(brewing) Ground or bruised malt, or meal of rye, wheat, corn, or other grain (or a mixture of malt and meal) steeped and stirred in hot water for making the wort.

mashallah

(Islam, ) Expressing the speaker's gratitude for a blessing or their recognition of divine intervention in its occurrence. God willed it.

masochisme

pleasure from experiencing pain, especially sexually.

masochiste

Someone who enjoys pain or humiliation, or who derives pleasure from harming oneself or being harmed by others.

Mason

A surname originating as an occupation for a stonemason.

masqué

Wearing a mask or masks.

masquer

(transitive) To put (something) in a place where it will be out of sight or harder to discover.

Massachusetts

A state of the United States. Capital and largest city: Boston.

massacre

(figuratively) An upset (as of a game with unexpected results, or a national presidential convention) or heavy defeat.

massacre des Innocents

(Christianity) A religious service and holiday commemorating the supposed Massacre of the Innocents in Judea around the time of the birth of Christ, typically observed on 28 December in Western Christianity and 29 December in Eastern Christianity; in Spanish and Latin American contexts, the day is frequently filled with light-hearted pranks similar to April Fools' Day.

massacrer

(transitive) To kill in considerable numbers where little or no resistance can be made, with indiscriminate violence, without necessity, and contrary to civilized norms. (Often limited to the killing of human beings.)

massage

The action of rubbing, kneading or hitting someone's body, to help the person relax, prepare for muscular action (as in contact sports) or to relieve aches.

masse

Size, specifically, volume.

masse atomique

(proscribed) atomic weight; the average mass of atoms of an element.

masse d'armes

A ceremonial form of this weapon.

masse salariale

The total sum of money paid to employees.

masse terrestre

(astronomy) A unit of mass equal to that of the Earth, used to express the mass of planets and similar astronomical bodies. 1 M🜨 = 6 × 1024 kg.

massepain

A confection made from a paste of almonds, sugar and egg white as a binder.

masser

(transitive) To rub and knead (someone's body or a part of a body), to perform a massage on (somebody).

masses

(generically) People, especially a large number of people; the general population.

masseur

(massage) A person (especially male) who performs massage.

masseuse

(massage) A person (especially male) who performs massage.

massicot

A device used for cutting the pages of books, stacks of paper, etc., to straight edges, usually by means of a hinged or sliding blade attached to a flat platform.

massif

Being large in size, mass, or volume (of goods, etc.).

mastectomie

The surgical procedure to remove all or part of a breast and sometimes nearby tissues.

Mastercard

(banking) A credit card issued by the credit card company Mastercard.

mastic

(especially, Commonwealth English) Any of various cements, usually flexible and waterproof, used as an adhesive, sealant, caulk, or filler.

mastiquer

To crush with the teeth by repeated closing and opening of the jaws; done to food to soften it and break it down by the action of saliva before it is swallowed.

Mastodon

(social media) A decentralized microblogging platform, part of the Fediverse.

mastodonte

Extinct elephant-like mammal of the genus †Mammut that flourished worldwide from Miocene through Pleistocene times; differs from elephants and mammoths in the form of the molar teeth.

mastothèque

(zoology) An organic pocket in which a marsupial carries its young.

masturbateur

(sometimes, pejorative) Someone who masturbates.

masturbatrice

(sometimes, pejorative) Someone who masturbates.

masturber

(intransitive) To stimulate oneself sexually, especially by use of one’s hand or a sex toy made for this purpose, often to the point of ejaculation or orgasm.

mat

A horizontal member of a crane or derrick, used for lifting.

mât de drapeau

A tall pole up which one or more flags may be raised and flown.

matador

One who engages in bullfighting; a toreador or matador.

matamata

A side-necked turtle of species Chelus fimbriata, whose shell resembles a dead leaf.

matamore

A person who blusters.

match

(countable) A particular instance of playing a game.

match nul

A necktie (item of clothing consisting of a strip of cloth tied around the neck). See also bow tie, black tie.

matchmaking

An attempt to make two people romantically interested in each other, especially an attempt to set up a date between people or to arrange a marriage.

mate

(American spelling) Dull; not reflective of light.

matelas

A pad on which a person can recline and sleep, usually having an inner section of coiled springs covered with foam or other cushioning material then enclosed with cloth fabric.

matelas gonflable

(UK, South Africa) An inflatable air mattress.

matelas pneumatique

A bed that is inflated with air; typically used as a portable, temporary bed.

matelasser

To construct a quilt.

matelot

(US, military, slang) A sailor. [from 20th c.]

mater

(transitive, of a horse) To tame; make obedient; to train to follow orders of the owner.

matérialisation

(internet, video games) A complex and dynamic digital representation of a person or being in the form of a digital model, used online as a simulation or emulation of a person, or as a person's online alter ego, in a virtual world, virtual chat room, or metaverse.

matérialiser

(transitive) To cause to take physical form, or to cause an object to appear.

matérialiste

Having features typical of philosophical materialism.

matériau

Something (as data, observations, perceptions or ideas) that may be incorporated, elaborated or otherwise reworked into a finished form or new form, or may serve as the basis for arriving at interpretations, judgments or conclusions.

matériel

The physical means or contrivances to make something (especially a public service) possible; the required equipment, infrastructure, location etc. [from 19th c.]

matériel informatique

(computing) The part of a computer that is fixed and cannot be altered without replacement or physical modification; motherboard, expansion cards, etc. Compare software.

maternel

Belonging to one by birth.

maternelle

(North America, Australia, India) An educational institution for young children, usually between ages 4 and 6; nursery school. [from 1852]

materner

(transitive) To treat as a mother would be expected to treat her child; to nurture.

maternité

A hospital that provides assistance during childbirth.

mathématicien

An expert on mathematics; someone who studies mathematics.

mathématicienne

An expert on mathematics; someone who studies mathematics.

mathématique

Of, or relating to mathematics

mathématiquement

According to or using mathematics.

Mathieu

A en given name of biblical origin.

Mathilde

A en given name.

Mathusalem

The oldest person whose age is recorded in the Hebrew Bible, having reportedly lived 969 years.

matière

An affair, condition, or subject, especially one of concern or (especially when preceded by the) one that is problematic.

matière à penser

(idiomatic) Information or knowledge that is worthy of contemplation.

matière grasse

(countable) A lipid that is solid at room temperature, which fat tissue contains and which is also found in the blood circulation; sometimes, a refined substance chemically resembling such naturally occurring lipids.

matière plastique

A synthetic, solid, hydrocarbon-based polymer, whether thermoplastic or thermosetting.

matière poisseuse

(uncountable, informal) Any semi-solid or liquid substance; especially one that is sticky, gummy or slippery, unpleasant, and of vague or unknown composition, such as slime or semen.

matière principale

(education, North America, Australia, New Zealand) The principal subject or course of a student working toward a degree at a college or university.

matinée

A showing of a movie, sporting event, or theatrical performance in the morning or afternoon.

matité

Mattness, the quality of a painted surface which scatters or absorbs the light falling on it, so as to be substantially free from gloss or sheen

matois

Artfully cunning; secretly mischievous; wily.

matou

The male of the domesticated cat, especially if not neutered.

matraquage publicitaire

(marketing) Promotion or propaganda, especially exaggerated claims.

matraque

(music) The stick of a conductor in musical performances.

matraquer

(idiomatic, intransitive) to strike or hit repeatedly

matriarche

A female leader of a family, a tribe or an ethnic or religious group.

matrice

An isohedral polyhedron, usually a cube, with numbers or symbols on each side and thrown in games of chance.

matrice transposée

(linear algebra) The process of rearranging elements in a matrix, by interchanging their respective row and column positional indicators.

matrices

(molecular biology) A macromolecule which provides a pattern for the synthesis of another molecule.

matrimonial

Pertaining to marriage.

matrone

A mature or elderly woman, especially one of a higher social rank.

Matthieu

A en given name of biblical origin.

matthiole

Any of the several species of cruciferous flowers in the genus Matthiola.

maturation

The process of becoming mature.

mature

Fully developed; grown up in terms of physical appearance, behaviour or thinking; ripe.

matza

(uncountable) Thin, unleavened bread in Jewish cuisine.

Maud

A en given name.

Maude

A en given name.

maudire

(transitive, archaic) To invoke or wish evil upon; to curse.

maudit

(theology) Doomed to destruction or misery; cursed; anathematized.

maudite

(informal, Britain, Ireland, Commonwealth, Hawaii, mildly, _) Used as an intensifier.

maugrebleu

(uncountable, euphemistic) God.

maugréer

To criticize or complain about a fault, especially for frivolous or petty reasons; to cavil. [(often) with at]

Maure

(historical) A member of an Islamic people of Arab or Amazigh origin ruling Spain and parts of North Africa from the 8th to the 15th centuries.

Maurice

A en given name, equivalent to English Morris.

Mauser

Any of the firearms made or designed by the German company Mauser, notably automatic pistols and bolt action rifles.

mausolée

A large stately tomb or a building housing such a tomb or several tombs.

maussade

Drab; dark, colorless, or cheerless.

mauvais

Bold, daring, and tough.

mauvais pathos

Overdone or treacly attempts to inspire pathos.

mauvais pour la santé

characterized by, or conducive to poor health

mauvais présage

A sense of evil to come.

mauvais pressentiment

A sense of evil to come.

mauvais rêve

A very unpleasant or frightening dream. [from 19th c.]

mauvais service

Service that results in harm; an (intentionally or unintentionally) unhelpful, harmful action.

mauvais signe

(informal) A cue, warning, or alert; a sign or signal that something is wrong.

mauvaise

(Internet slang, sarcastic) Used without a copula to mock people who oppose something without having any real understanding of it.

mauvaise action

The state of being wicked; evil disposition; immorality.

mauvaise herbe

(countable) Any plant unwanted at the place where and at the time when it is growing.

mauvaise humeur

A sullen, gloomy or angry mental state; a bad mood.

mauvaise passe

A difficult position.

mauvaisement

In a bad manner.

Mauvaises Terres

(geomorphology) An arid terrain characterized by severe erosion of sedimentary rocks.

mauve

A seabird of the genus Larus or of the subfamily Larinae.

mauviette

(by extension, pejorative) An easily frightened, ineffectual, or weak person.

maux de ventre

A pain in the abdomen, often caused by indigestion, in which the pain is usually lower than the stomach and related to the intestines.

max

(informal) Maximum; maximal.

maxi-

Denotes a larger than usual version of an item.

maxima

(mathematics) The greatest value of a set or other mathematical structure, especially the global maximum or a local maximum of a function.

maximal

Largest, greatest (in magnitude), highest, most.

maxime

A precept; a succinct statement or observation of a rule of conduct or moral teaching.

Maximilien

A en given name, rare in English.

maximiser

(transitive) To make as large as possible.

maximum

Largest, greatest (in magnitude), highest, most.

maximums

(mathematics) The greatest value of a set or other mathematical structure, especially the global maximum or a local maximum of a function.

mayday

An international distress signal used by shipping and aircraft.