French–English dictionary

observation

A remark or comment.

observatoire

A place where stars, planets and other celestial bodies are observed, usually through a telescope; also place for observing meteorological or other natural phenomena.

observer

To look at or see (someone or something), especially appreciatively; to descry, to look upon.

obsessif

Having one thought or pursuing one activity to the absolute or nearly absolute exclusion of all others.

obsession

An idea that engenders a compulsive or irrational preoccupation, or the preoccupation thereby engendered.

obsidienne

(mineral) A type of naturally occurring black glass produced by volcanoes.

obsolète

(computing) Said of a function or feature planned to be phased out, but still available for use.

obstacle

(figurative) Anything that restricts or restrains.

obstétricien

(medicine) A physician who specializes in childbirth.

obstétricienne

(medicine) A physician who specializes in childbirth.

obstétrique

The practice and science of being a midwife.

obstination

The state of being obdurate, intractable, or stubbornly inflexible.

obstiné

stubbornly persevering, steadfast

obstinément

In an obstinate manner.

obstruction

Something that prevents something from passing.

obstruction parlementaire

(US politics) A tactic (such as giving long, often irrelevant speeches) employed to delay the proceedings of, or the making of a decision by, a legislative body, particularly the United States Senate.

obstruer

(transitive) To fill or obstruct (something) so that it is not possible to pass.

obtempérer

(transitive) To do as ordered by (a person, institution etc), to act according to the bidding of.

obtenir

To draw out, bring out, bring forth (something latent); to obtain information from someone or something.

obtention

The act of obtaining or acquiring; acquisition.

obturateur

(photography) The part of a camera, normally closed, that opens for a controlled period of time to let light in when taking a picture.

obtus

Dull in understanding; slow of discernment; opposed to acute.

obtusité

The quality of being slow of understanding things; stupidity.

obus

An explosive device used or intended as a weapon, especially, one dropped from an aircraft.

obusier

A cannon that combines certain characteristics of field guns and mortars, delivering projectiles with medium velocities, usually with relatively high trajectories; normally a cannon with a tube length of 20 to 30 calibers.

occasion

A favorable opportunity; a convenient or timely chance. [from 14th c.]

occasion favorable

A favorable circumstance or occasion.

occasioner

(transitive) To bring upon oneself or expose oneself to, especially something inconvenient, harmful, or onerous; to become liable or subject to.

occasionnel

Coming without regularity; occasional or incidental.

occasionnellement

On occasion: at relatively infrequent intervals, from time to time, sometimes. [from 15th c.]

Occident

(historical) The Western Bloc (the non-communist nations of Europe and America).

Occidental

A native or inhabitant of the West, of the Western world—Europe and the Americas. (Also written capitalized as Westerner.)

occipital

(anatomy) Of, pertaining to, or located within or near the occiput (back of the head) or the occipital bone.

occire

(transitive) To put to death; to extinguish the life of.

occulte

(usually, _, with "the") Supernatural affairs.

occulter

(computing) To alter code while preserving its behavior but concealing its structure and intent.

occultisme

(usually, _, with "the") Supernatural affairs.

occupant

A person who occupies an office or a position.

occupante

One who occupies, particularly with respect to a foreign government controlling the territory of another.

occupation

The act of occupying, the state of being occupied or the state of being an occupant or tenant.

occupé

Used to communicate that a toilet is unavailable.

occuper

(transitive, obsolete) To expect, look forward to. [14th–18th c.]

occurrence

An actual instance when a situation occurs; an event or happening.

ochotone

Any of several small, furry mammals, similar to guinea pigs, but related to rabbits, of the genus Ochotona, from the mountains of North America and Asia.

ocre

Having a yellow-orange colour.

oct.

Abbreviation of October.

octante

The cardinal number occurring after seventy-nine and before eighty-one, represented in Roman numerals as LXXX and in Arabic numerals as 80.

octathlon

(athletics) A sporting event consisting of eight different sports or contests.

Octave

A en given name, in occasional use.

Octavie

A en given name, in quiet use since the Middle Ages.

Octavien

(historical) A en given name, notably borne by Augustus (Caesar) between 44 and 27 BCE

octobre

The tenth month of the Gregorian calendar, following September and preceding November.

octogone

(geometry, also, attributively) A polygon with eight sides and eight angles.

octroyer

(ditransitive) To give (bestow upon or confer, particularly in answer to prayer or request).

octuor

(music) A group of eight musicians performing together.

oculaire

The lens (or the component containing a combination of lenses) at the eye end of a microscope or telescope by which the image is viewed.

ocytocine

(hormone) A hormone that stimulates contractions during labor, and then the production of milk; also plays a role in social bonding.

ocytocique

(medicine) Serving to promote uterine contractions, thus accelerating childbirth.

odalisque

(historical) A female slave in a harem, especially one in the Ottoman seraglio.

ode

A short poetical composition proper to be set to music or sung; a lyric poem; especially, now, a poem characterized by sustained noble sentiment and appropriate dignity of style.

Oder

A river in central Europe, that flows from the Czech Republic through Poland and Germany to the Baltic Sea.

odeur

Any smell, whether fragrant or offensive.

odieux

Hateful or hostile.

Odin

(Norse mythology, and, paganism) A major Germanic god, often described as chief of the pantheon, in his Norse form a member of the Æsir, married to Frigg and associated with knowledge, poetry and war. Wednesday refers to him by way of interpretatio germanica.

odontologie

(uncountable) The field of medicine concerned with the study, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions of the teeth and oral cavity.

odorant

Fragrant or spicy.

odorat

The skill in recognising bouquet.

odorer

(transitive) To sense a smell or smells.

Odyssée

An epic poem, ascribed to Homer, that describes the journey of Odysseus after the fall of Troy.

Odysseus

(Greek mythology) The son of Laertes and Anticlea and father of Telemachus. A Greek leader during the Trojan War, he was responsible for the Trojan horse. He was also king of Ithaca, hero of the Iliad and protagonist of the Odyssey.

œdème

(medicine) An excessive accumulation of serum in tissue spaces or a body cavity.

Œdipe

(Greek mythology) A son of Laius and Jocasta, who unwittingly killed his father and married his mother.

œil

An organ through which animals see.

oeil au beurre noir

(boxing) A facial hematoma or black eye.

œillade

An enticing glance or look.

œillère

(rare) The eyelid.

œillet

A fitting consisting of a loop of metal or other material, suitable for receiving a hook or the passage of a cord or line.

œsophage

The throat or esophagus.

œstrogène

(steroid hormone) Any of a group of steroids that are secreted by the ovaries and function as female sex hormones.

œstrus

(countable, and, uncountable, biology) A female animal's readiness to mate.

oeud

In arid and semi-arid regions, the normally dry bed of an intermittent or ephemeral stream; an arroyo or wadi.

œuf

(transgender slang) A person regarded as having not yet realized they are transgender, who has not yet come out as transgender, or who is in the early stages of transitioning.

œufs de poisson

Eggs of fish.

œuvrable

Able to be worked or fashioned

œuvre

(uncountable) Artwork.

œuvre cinématographique

(chiefly, North America, AU, NZ) A recorded sequence of images displayed on a screen at a rate sufficiently fast to create the appearance of motion; a film.

œuvrer

(transitive, or, intransitive) To perform a work or labour; to exert power or strength, physical or mechanical; to act.

offensant

Causing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of disgust, anger, hatred, sadness, or indignation.

offense

Coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; language that unjustly or angrily vilifies. [from mid-16th c.]

offenser

(transitive) To hurt the feelings of; to displease; to make angry; to insult.

offensive

(military) A sustained advance in the face of the enemy to take an objective.

office

(religion) A ceremonial duty or service, particularly:

Office américain des brevets et marques

United States Patent and Trademark Office.

officiel

Arising or originating from a figure of authority.

officiellement

In an official manner; according to official rules or regulations.

officier

One who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization, especially in military, police or government organizations.

officière

A respectful term of address for an officer, especially a police officer.

offline

Of a system, currently not connected (generally electrically) to a larger network. For example, a power plant which is not connected to the grid, or a computer which is not connected to the Internet or to any other communications service.

offrande

Originally, the killing (and often burning) of a human being or an animal as an offering to a deity; later, also the offering of an object to a deity.

offre

A proposal that has been made.

offrir

(obsolete) To offer, provide, or supply, as in selling, granting or expending, with profit, or without too great a loss.

offset

(international trade) A form of countertrade arrangement, in which the seller agrees to purchase within a set time frame products of a certain value from the buying country. This kind of agreement may be used in large international public sector contracts such as arms sales.

offshore

Located in the sea away from the coast.

offusqué

(Internet slang, slightly, vulgar) Overly annoyed or bothered by a perceived insult or injustice; needlessly offended.

ogive

(nautical) Any of the curved rib-like timbers that form the frame of a wooden ship.

OGM

Initialism of genetically modified organism.

ogre

(mythology) A type of brutish giant from folk tales that eats human flesh.

ogresse

A female ogre.

oh

(slang, with falling pitch) Used either to belittle the issuer of a statement/question, or sarcastically to indicate utter agreement, and that the statement being responded to is an extreme understatement. The intonation is changed to distinguish between the two meanings - implied dullness for belittlement, and feigned surprise for utter agreement.

oh eh

A call for response if it is not clear if anyone is present or listening, or if a telephone conversation may have been disconnected.

oh là là

An expression of dismay, concern, worry or disapproval.

ohé

(nautical) Used to hail a ship, a boat or a person, or to attract attention.

ohm

In the International System of Units, the derived unit of electrical resistance; the electrical resistance of a device across which a potential difference of one volt causes a current of one ampere.

oignon

The bulb-shaped underground portion of a plant such as a tulip, consisting of a shortened stem and many fleshy scale leaves, from which the rest of the plant may be regrown.

oignon sauvage

An American plant, Allium tricoccum, related to the onion; a wild leek.

oïn

To send a document via a fax machine.

oindre

(transitive) To smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance; also, to spread over, as oil.

oinj

(slang) A marijuana cigarette.

oint

A person who has been anointed, especially for religious reasons.

ois

Used to form nouns meaning the jargon or language used by a particular profession or being or in a particular context.

oise

(of adjectives from roots of proper nouns denoting names of nations or regions) Of, belonging, or relating to (a nationality, place, language or similar association with something).

oiseau

(informal) Snowbird (retiree who moves to a warmer climate).

oiseau chanteur

A bird having a melodious song or call.

oiseau de fleurs

Any of various small American birds in the family Trochilidae that have the ability to hover.

oiseau rare

(figuratively) Any precious or highly valued thing or person.

oiseau-mouche

Any of various small American birds in the family Trochilidae that have the ability to hover.

oiseau-tonnerre

(mythology) A mythological bird, often associated with stormy weather, especially in various indigenous North American mythologies.

oiselet

(informal) Snowbird (retiree who moves to a warmer climate).

oiseleur

Someone who catches or ensnares birds; a fowler.

oiselle

(informal) Snowbird (retiree who moves to a warmer climate).

oiseux

Of no importance; useless; worthless; vain; trifling; thoughtless; silly.

oisif

(chiefly, Britain, Ireland, Commonwealth, idiomatic) Utterly lazy.

oisillon

(informal) Snowbird (retiree who moves to a warmer climate).

oisiveté

The state of being idle; inactivity.

oison

A young goose.

OK

Used to introduce a sentence in order to draw attention to the importance of what is being said.

ol

(the third-person singular nominative, occasionally, proscribed) A single person, previously mentioned, whose gender is unknown, irrelevant, or (since 20th c.) non-binary. [since 14th c.]

olé

An expression of excitement. Hooray!

olfactif

(relational) Concerning the sense of smell.

olibrius

An eccentric or unusual person.

oligarque

A member of an oligarchy; someone who is part of a small group that runs a country.

Olive

A city, the county seat of Renville County, Minnesota, United States, named for a female station agent named Olive.

Olivia

A city, the county seat of Renville County, Minnesota, United States, named for a female station agent named Olive.

Olivier

A en given name.

olographe

(law) Handwritten by a single writer.

Olympe

A en given name; quite rare in English.

olympiade

(by, _, extension, usually, _, preceded, _) A competition aspiring to the importance of the Olympic Games or considered similar to them, especially one occurring at 4-year intervals, representing a national or international range of amateur student rather than professional adult competition, and/or requiring the highest level of ability in the field for success.

Olympiades

The Olympic Games.

Olympie

An ancient city in Greece, home of the very first Olympic Games.

olympien

(not comparable) Of or relating to Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece; or (Greek mythology) the Greek gods and goddesses who were believed to live there.