French–English dictionary

colonne

(architecture) A solid upright structure designed usually to support a larger structure above it, such as a roof or horizontal beam, but sometimes for decoration.

colonne vertébrale

(countable) The series of vertebrae, separated by disks, that encloses and protects the spinal cord, and runs down the middle of the back in vertebrate animals.

colonoscopie

(medicine) The examination of the colon using a colonoscope.

colophane

(organic chemistry) A solid form of resin, obtained from liquid resin by vaporizing its volatile components.

colorant

A pigment, dye etc added to something to change its colour or hue.

coloration

The act or art of coloring.

coloré

Having a particular color or kind of color.

colorer

(transitive) To give something color.

colorier

(intransitive) To apply colors to the areas within the boundaries of a line drawing using colored markers or crayons.

coloriser

To add color to.

coloscopie

(medicine) The examination of the colon using a colonoscope.

colossal

Extremely large or on a great scale.

colossalement

Greatly; to a huge extent.

colostomie

(surgery) An incision into the colon to allow for drainage; the opening produced in such incision.

colporteur

Somebody who sells things in an aggressive or showy manner.

coltiner

(transitive, informal) To carry, drag, or lug.

columbarium

A building, a vault or a similar place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns containing cremated remains.

colvert

(countable) Anas platyrhynchos, a common and widespread dabbling duck, natively found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, whose male has a distinctive dark green head.

coma

A state of unconsciousness from which one may not wake up, usually induced by some form of trauma.

comanche

The Uto-Aztecan language spoken by these people, sometimes classified as a variety of Shoshone.

comateux

In a coma: unconscious.

combat

A battle, a fight (often one in which weapons are used).

combat à l'épée

fighting with a sword

combat aérien

(aviation, military) A twisting turning battle between two or more military aircraft, especially between fighters.

combat de chiens

A fight between dogs, especially as part of the blood sport of dogfighting.

combatif

Given to fighting; disposed to engage in combat; pugnacious.

combativité

A conflict, possibly nonphysical, with opposing ideas or forces; strife.

combattant

A freshwater fish, Betta splendens.

combattant varié

Philomachus pugnax (syn. Calidris pugnax), a gregarious, medium-sized wading bird of Eurasia; specifically, a male of the species which develops a distinctive ruff of feathers and ear tufts during mating season (the female is called a reeve).

combattante

A person engaged in combat, often armed.

combattre

(intransitive) To fight (with); to struggle for victory (against).

combe

A valley, often wooded and often with no river

combien de temps

Used literally: for what duration.

combien que

Though, even though, in spite of or despite the fact that: introducing a clause that expresses a concession.

combinaison

A one-piece suit combining trousers and jacket, worn for heavy or hot manual labour.

combiné

Resulting from the addition of several sources, parts, elements, aspects, etc. united together.

combiné téléphonique

The part of a landline telephone containing both receiver and transmitter (and sometimes dial), held in the hand.

combiner

(transitive) To bring (two or more things or activities) together; to unite.

combler

(transitive) To install someone, or be installed, in (a position or office), eliminating a vacancy.

combles

The space, often unfinished and with sloped walls, directly below the roof in the uppermost part of a house or other building, generally used for storage or habitation.

combustibilité

The quality or state of being combustible

combustible

Capable of burning.

Côme

A city and comune, the capital of the province of Como, Lombardy.

comeback

(sports) An occurrence of an athlete or sports team in a competition overcoming a substantial disadvantage in points to win or draw.

comédie

(sports) A deliberate fall after a challenge.

comédie de situation

Situation comedy.

comédie musicale

A stage performance, show or film that involves singing, dancing and musical numbers performed by the cast as well as acting.

comédien

A comedian.

comédienne

(slightly, dated) A female comedian.

comestible

Suitable to be eaten; edible. [From 15th c.]

Comète

The fifth reindeer of Santa Claus.

comique

An entertainer who performs in a humorous manner, especially by telling jokes.

comité

A body of one or more persons convened for the accomplishment of some specific purpose, typically with formal protocols.

commandant

(idiomatic, nautical) The correct and seamanlike reply, onboard a Royal Navy (or US Navy) ship, on receipt of an order from someone of senior rank or authority. It means "I understand the command and hasten to comply with the order."

commandante

One who exercises control and direction of a military or naval organization.

commande

(computing) A directive to a computer program acting as an interpreter of some kind, in order to perform a specific task.

commandement

An order to do something.

commander

To ask for in a loud voice.

commanderie

(historical) The smallest division of a manor under the control of a commander of an order of knights, originally only the Knights Hospitaller.

commandes

The method and means of governing the performance of any apparatus, machine or system, such as a lever, handle or button.

commandeur

A rank within an honorary order: e.g. Commander of the Legion of Honour.

commanditer

(transitive) To be a sponsor for.

commando

A small fighting force specially trained for making quick destructive raids against enemy-held areas.

comme

Considered to be, in relation to something else; in the relation (specified).

comme ça

(adverbial) In such, the same, a similar way, in that particular manner

comme d'habitude

(chiefly, US, elsewhere, _, archaic) Frequently; often.

comme de la dentelle

Looking like lace.

comme il faut

Proper; in keeping with etiquette or social standards.

comme on peut le comprendre

For reasons that are easy to understand or sympathise with.

comme un cheveu sur la soupe

(idiomatic) Unexpectedly; without warning or preparation.

comme un chien dans un jeu de quilles

(idiomatic) Unexpectedly; without warning or preparation.

commémoratif

Serving to commemorate something.

commémoration

The act of commemorating; an observance or celebration to honor the memory of some person or event.

commençant

In an initial stage; beginning, starting, coming into existence.

commencement

The creation or beginning of something; the establishment.

commencer

(ergative) To start, to initiate or take the first step into something.

commensurable

Of a proportionate or similar measurable standard.

comment

(idiomatic, informal, by ellipsis) A polite formula used when one has not heard or understood what has been said, or to indicate surprise.

commentaire

(computing) Metadata added to a document or program.

commentateur

A person who makes a commentary, particularly

commérage

(uncountable) Idle talk about someone’s private or personal matters, especially about someone not present.

commerçant

A retail sales company or salesman.

commerçant indien

An Indian trader, merchant, cashier, or money changer.

commerçante

A person or a company that vends or sells.

commerce

(business) The exchange or buying and selling of commodities; especially the exchange of merchandise, on a large scale, between different places or communities; extended trade or traffic.

commerce équitable

(uncountable) A system of trading promoting more equitable global trade, especially to sellers and producers in poorer areas, but also to the environment.

commercer

(ambitransitive) To engage in trade.

commercial

Of or pertaining to commerce.

commercialement

In a commercial manner: a manner pertaining to commerce.

commercialiser

(transitive) To make (products or services) available for sale and promote them.

commère

(countable) Someone who likes to talk about other people's private or personal business.

commérer

(intransitive) To talk about someone else's private or personal business, especially in a manner that spreads the information.

commettant

A resident of an area represented by an elected official, particularly in relation to that official.

commettre

(transitive) To give in trust; to put into charge or keeping; to entrust; to consign; used with to or formerly unto.

commisération

The gentle or kind exercise of power; leniency, mercy; compassion in judging or punishing.

commissaire

(historical, early, _, Soviet Union) The head of a commissariat.

commissaire de bord

The person responsible for handling the accounts on a ship, or for dealing with the passengers on a ship or aircraft.

commissaire du bord

The person responsible for handling the accounts on a ship, or for dealing with the passengers on a ship or aircraft.

commissaire-priseur

An individual who conducts an auction on behalf of a vendor, accepting bids to find the best price for the vendor.

commissariat

(historical) A department of the government of the Soviet Union in the early period of its existence.

commission

A body or group of people, officially tasked with carrying out a particular function.

commission d'agent immobilier

A fee charged by an agent or broker for carrying out a transaction.

commode

(US) A chest of drawers for clothes.

commodément

In a convenient manner, form, or situation; without difficulty.

commodité

A thing or circumstance that is welcome and makes life a little easier or more pleasant.

commodités

(chiefly, British) Ellipsis of public convenience (“a public lavatory”).

commodore

(military, nautical) A naval officer holding a rank between captain and rear admiral.

commotion

(uncountable, _, in, _, Commonwealth, countable, _) An injury to part of the body, most especially the brain, caused by a violent blow, followed by loss of function.

commotion cérébrale

(uncountable, _, in, _, Commonwealth, countable, _) An injury to part of the body, most especially the brain, caused by a violent blow, followed by loss of function.

commun

Simple, ordinary or vulgar.

commun des mortels

(collective) The common people; the masses. (Used with or without the definite article.)

communal

Including or involving every part or member of a given or implied entity, whole, etc.; common to all, universal. [from 13th c.]

communautaire

Pertaining to a community or a commune.

commune

A local political division in many European countries as well as their former colonies (such as Chile and Vietnam).

communément

(figurative) Commonly; generally; to a great degree.

communicable

(epidemiology, of a disease) Able to be transmitted between people or animals.

communicateur

Someone who, or something that communicates.

communicatif

(of feelings and behaviour) Spreading quickly from one person to another.

communication

A message; the essential data transferred in an act of communication.

communicatrice

Someone who, or something that communicates.

communier

(transitive) To impart or transmit (information or knowledge) to someone; to make known, to tell. [from 16th c.]

communion

A joining together of minds or spirits; a mental connection.

communiquable

(epidemiology, of a disease) Able to be transmitted between people or animals.

communiqué

An official report or statement, such as a government press release or the report of a conference.

communiquer

(transitive) To impart or transmit (information or knowledge) to someone; to make known, to tell. [from 16th c.]

communiste

Of, relating to, supporting, or advocating communism.

communité

Such a shared attribute or characteristic

commutateur

(networking) A computer networking device connecting several Ethernet ports. See switch.

commutateur réseau

(computing, networking) A networking device connecting multiple wires, allowing them to communicate simultaneously, when possible. Compare to the less efficient hub device that solely duplicates network packets to each wire.

commutation

A conversion or transition from one thing to another.

commuter

(intransitive, mathematics) Of an operation, to be commutative, i.e. to have the property that changing the order of the operands does not change the result.

comorbidité

(medicine, uncountable) The presence of one or more disorders (or diseases) in addition to a primary disease or disorder.

compacité

The state of being compact.

compacter

To drive in or pack down by frequent gentle strokes

compacteur

A machine that reduces the bulk of waste or other material by compaction.

compagne

A friend, acquaintance, or partner; someone with whom one spends time or accompanies

compagnie

(countable) A specific commercial enterprise or establishment.

compagnie aérienne

A company that flies airplanes to transport people and goods.

compagnie de téléphone

(informal) A telephone company (historically); a telecommunications company, a telecom.

compagnon

A friend, acquaintance, or partner; someone with whom one spends time or accompanies

compagnon de cellule

A person with whom one shares a prison cell.

compagnon de jeux

A companion for someone (especially a child) to play with.

comparabilité

The quality of being comparable.

comparable

(often with to) Able to be compared (to).

comparaison

(grammar) A feature in the morphology or syntax of some languages whereby adjectives and adverbs are inflected to indicate the relative degree of the property they define exhibited by the word or phrase they modify or describe.

comparatif

(grammar) The degree of comparison of an adjective or adverb used when comparing two entities in terms of a certain property or a certain way of doing something. In English, the comparative of superiority is formed by adding the suffix -er or the word more (e.g. bigger, more fully); the comparative of equality, by adding the word as (e.g. as big, as fully); the comparative of inferiority, by adding the word less (e.g. less big, less fully).

comparer

(transitive) To assess the similarities and differences between two or more things ["to compare X with Y"]. Having made the comparison of X with Y, one might have found it similar to Y or different from Y.

comparse

(legal) An associate in the commission of a crime; a participator in an offense, whether a principal or an accessory.

compartiment à glaçons

(UK) A compartment in a refrigerator that is colder than the rest of the refrigerator and is used as a freezer.

comparution

The act of appearing or coming into sight; the act of becoming visible to the eye.