French–English dictionary

alpinisme

The sport of climbing mountains.

alpiniste

A person who climbs mountains for sport or pleasure. [from 19th c.]

Alsace

A cultural region, former administrative region, and historical province of France, located on the west bank of the upper Rhine; since 2016, part of the administrative region of Grand Est. It has changed hands between France and Germany several times throughout history.

alsacien

Of, from or relating to Alsace (now part of the administrative region of Grand Est, France).

Alsacienne

A native or inhabitant of Alsace (now part of the administrative region of Grand Est, France).

altcoin

(cryptocurrency) A cryptocurrency other than bitcoin.

altération

(music) A sharp, flat, or natural, occurring not at the commencement of a piece of music as the signature, but before a particular note.

altéré

Having been changed from an original form.

altérer

(ambitransitive) To change the form or structure of.

alternance

The reciprocal succession of (normally two) things in time or place; the act of following and being followed by turns; alternate succession, performance, or occurrence

alternance codique

(linguistics) The phenomenon or practice of alternating between two or more languages or language varieties.

alternance de code

(linguistics) The phenomenon or practice of alternating between two or more languages or language varieties.

alternateur

(electrical engineering) An electric generator which produces alternating current through mechanical means.

alternatif

(mathematics) Designating the members in a series, which regularly intervene between the members of another series, as the odd or even numbers of the numerals; every other; every second.

alternative

(mathematics) Designating the members in a series, which regularly intervene between the members of another series, as the odd or even numbers of the numerals; every other; every second.

alterner

(transitive) To perform by turns, or in succession; to cause to succeed by turns; to interchange regularly.

altesse

The style of a prince, princess or someone of equivalent rank.

altimètre

An apparatus for measuring altitude.

altitude

(geometry) The distance measured perpendicularly from a figure's vertex to the opposite side of the vertex.

alto

A stringed instrument of the violin family, somewhat larger than a violin, played under the chin, and having a deeper tone.

altruisme

The quality or state of being selfless.

altruiste

A person showing altruism.

alu

(mostly, uncountable) Thin aluminium/aluminum (or, formerly, tin) used for wrapping food.

aluminium

A light, silvery metal extracted from bauxite, and a chemical element (symbol Al) with an atomic number of 13.

aluner

(transitive) To steep in, or otherwise impregnate with, a solution of alum; to treat with alum.

alvéole

(anatomy) Any of the many tiny air sacs in the lungs in which the bronchioles terminate and where oxygen and carbon dioxide are rapidly exchanged with the pulmonary capillaries.

alvéole d’abeille

(uncountable) A substance made by bees (clade Anthophila) primarily from beeswax which has hexagonal cells to hold their larvae, and for storing pollen and honey to feed the larvae and themselves when other food is scarce; it is also eaten by humans as part of comb-honey; (countable) a single sheet made up of two layers of this substance.

Alvin

A en given name.

alya

(countable) One of the major waves of immigration of Jews to Israel.

amadou

A spongy, flammable substance prepared from bracket fungi, formerly used as a styptic and as tinder.

amadouer

(transitive) To wheedle or persuade (a person, organisation, animal etc.) gradually or by use of flattery to do something.

amal

A language of Papua New Guinea.

amalgamation

(specifically) The production of an alloy of mercury and another metal, especially used in antiquity to extract gold and silver from ores.

amalgamer

(transitive, or, intransitive) To merge, to combine, to blend, to join.

Amanda

A en given name.

Amande

A en given name.

amandier

(countable) The tree that produces almonds.

amant

Someone who is loved; something that is loved.

amante

Someone who is loved; something that is loved.

amarrage

The act of securing a vessel with a cable or anchor etc.

amarrer

(intransitive, nautical) To cast anchor or become fastened.

amas

A cluster or lump; an unshaped piece or mass.

amas stellaire

(astronomy) A group of gravitationally bound stars and other material (such as nebulae and planets), conventionally with one generation of similarly aged stars from the same pre-stellar nebula.

amasser

(transitive) To collect into a mass or heap.

amateur

Someone who is unqualified or insufficiently skillful.

amateuse

Someone who is unqualified or insufficiently skillful.

Amaury

A en given name, today often transferred back from the surname.

amazone

(Greek mythology) A member of a mythical race of female warriors inhabiting the Black Sea area.

amazonien

(sometimes, attributive) A river in South America, that flows through Brazil for about 4000 miles to the Atlantic.

ambassade

An organization or group of officials who permanently represent a sovereign state in a second sovereign state or with respect to an international organization such as the United Nations.

ambiance

The gases surrounding the Earth or any astronomical body.

ambience

(figuratively) The conditions (such as music, illumination etc.) that can influence the mood felt in an environment.

ambigu

Open to multiple interpretations.

ambiguïté

(countable) An instance of this state: words or statements that are open to more than one interpretation, explanation or meaning, especially if that meaning cannot be determined from the context.

ambitieux

Overly assertive, bold, or determined; aggressively ambitious.

ambition

The point intended to be hit, or object intended to be attained or affected.

ambitus

(music) The range of a melody, especially those of ecclesiastical chants.

ambivalent

Simultaneously experiencing or expressing opposing or contradictory feelings, beliefs, motivations, or meanings.

ambiverti

(psychology) A person who is neither clearly extroverted nor introverted, but has characteristics of each.

ambler

(intransitive) To stroll or walk slowly and leisurely.

Ambre

A en given name, popular in the 1980s and the 1990s.

ambre gris

A solid, waxy, flammable substance of a dull grey or blackish color, produced in the intestines of the sperm whale. It is used in perfumes.

ambre jaune

A hard, generally yellow to brown translucent or transparent fossil resin from extinct coniferous trees of the pine genus, used for jewellery, decoration and later dissolved as a binder in varnishes. One variety, blue amber, appears blue rather than yellow under direct sunlight. [from 15th c.]

Ambroise

A en given name.

ambroisie

Any fungus of a number of species that insects such as ambrosia beetles carry as symbionts, "farming" them on poor-quality food such as wood, where they grow, providing food for the insect.

ambrosiaque

Succulently sweet or fragrant; balmy, divine.

ambulance

An emergency vehicle designed for transporting seriously ill or injured people to a hospital. [1854]

ambulancier

(informal) An ambulance driver.

ambulancière

The female equivalent of an ambulanceman.

ambulatoire

Of, relating to, or adapted to walking.

âme sœur

(idiomatic) Someone with the same feelings or attitudes as oneself.

Amédée

A en given name.

Amélie

A en given name.

amélioration

An improvement.

amélioré

transformed into something more glorious than it actually is (often used sarcastically)

améliorer

(transitive) To make better, or improve, something perceived to be in a negative condition.

amen

(biblical) Certainly; verily.

aménagement

The act of arranging.

amende

A fee levied as punishment for breaking the law.

amendement

In public bodies, any alteration made or proposed to be made in a bill or motion that adds, changes, substitutes, or omits.

amender

(transitive) To make better; improve.

amener

(transitive, ditransitive) To transport toward somebody/somewhere.

amener à maturité

(transitive) To mature; to fit or prepare; to bring to perfection

aménité

Pleasantness.

amenuiser

(intransitive) To decrease, shrink, diminish, reduce in size or intensity.

amer

A high hill or other easily distinguishable object near the shore which can serve as guidance for seafarers.

amèrement

In a bitter manner.

américain

Of, from, or pertaining to the United States of America, its people, or its culture.

amérindien

Of or relating to the indigenous peoples of the Americas. [from 16th c.]

Amérindienne

(countable) An American Indian, a member of one of the indigenous peoples of the Americas (generally excluding the Aleut, Inuit, Metis, and Yupik). [from 16th c.]

Amérique

A supercontinent consisting of North America, Central America and South America regarded as a whole.

Amériques

A supercontinent consisting of North America, Central America and South America regarded as a whole.

amerloque

(US) A Yankee, a Northerner: someone from the Northern United States, especially from New England.

amertume

Sourness of taste, with bitterness and astringency, like that of unripe fruit.

ameublissement

The state of being tilled, or prepared for a crop; culture.

àmha

(internet slang, text messaging) Initialism of in my humble opinion.

ami

A male partner in an unmarried romantic relationship.

amiable

Showing friendliness or goodwill.

amiante

(mineral) Any of several fibrous mineral forms of magnesium silicate, used for fireproofing, electrical insulation, building materials, brake linings, chemical filters, suits, fireman's gloves, etc.

amibe

(biology) A member of the genus Amoeba of unicellular protozoa that moves by means of temporary projections called pseudopodia.

amical

Showing friendliness or goodwill.

amicalement

(idiomatic) Used as a polite closing of a letter

amidon

(nutrition, countable) Carbohydrates, as with grain and potato based foods.

amidonner

To apply or treat with laundry starch, to create a hard, smooth surface.

amincir

(transitive) To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken; to nerf (in gaming).

amirauté

(military) The office or jurisdiction of an admiral.

Amish

A strict Anabaptist sect living mainly in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana.

amitié

(formal, literary) Friendship; friendliness.

AMM

(Canada, medicine, uncountable) Acronym of medical assistance in dying.

ammoniac

(inorganic compound) A gaseous, toxic compound of hydrogen and nitrogen, NH3, with a pungent smell and taste.

ammoniaque

(inorganic compound) A gaseous, toxic compound of hydrogen and nitrogen, NH3, with a pungent smell and taste.

ammonium

(inorganic chemistry) The univalent NH4+ cation, derived by the protonation of ammonia

ammorti

(tennis) A very short shot which touches the ground close behind the net and is intended to bounce as little as possible.

amnésie

(pathology) Loss of memory; forgetfulness.

amnésique

Of, pertaining to, affected by, or causing amnesia.

amnios

(anatomy) The innermost membrane of the fetal membranes of reptiles, birds, and mammals; the sac in which the embryo is suspended.

amnistier

(transitive) To grant a pardon (to a group).

amocher

(usually of an animal) To savage; to cause serious physical wounds.

amœbose

(medicine) An infectious disease caused by the parasitic protozoan Entamoeba histolytica; amoebic dysentery.

amoindrir

To lessen (something) in force or intensity; to moderate. [from 14th c.]

amollir

(transitive) To make something soft or softer.

Amon

(Egyptian god) An Egyptian wind deity associated with the town of Thebes; later (post-16th century BCE) the creator deity, often depicted with curling ram horns.

amont

(biology) Towards the leading end (5′ end) of a DNA molecule.

amorçage

(computing) The process by which the operating system of a computer is loaded into its memory.

amorce

a metal cap found on muzzleloading firearms that contains chemical substances such as fulminate that explode upon impact

amorcer

(computing) To bootstrap; to start a system, e.g. a computer, by invoking its boot process or bootstrap.

amordancer

(transitive) To subject to the action of, or imbue with, a mordant.

amorti

(baseball, softball) A ball that has been intentionally hit softly so as to be difficult to field, sometimes with a hands-spread batting stance or with a close-hand, choked-up hand position. No swinging action is involved.

amortir

(figurative) To absorb or deaden the impact of.

amortissement

The distribution of the cost of an intangible asset, such as an intellectual property right, over the projected useful life of the asset.

Amos

(book of the bible) A book of the Old Testament and the Hebrew Tanakh.

amour

(uncountable) Strong affection.

amour romantique

A story, novel, film, etc., centred around an idealized love relationship.

amour-propre

Confidence in one's own worth; self-respect.

amourette

(informal, by extension) The human object of such infatuation or affection.

amoureuse

One who loves and cares for another person in a romantic way; a sweetheart, love, soulmate, boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse.

amoureusement

In an amorous or loving manner.

amoureux

In love, amorous.

amphétamine

(informal) Any mixture of the two amphetamine enantiomers, dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine.

amphi

A large room for public meetings or performances.

amphibole

(mineral) Any of a large group of structurally similar hydrated double silicate minerals, containing various combinations of sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and aluminium.

amphigouri

A nonsense verse; a rigmarole, which is meaningless despite possibly appearing to have meaning.

amphithéâtre

An open, outdoor theatre (which may be a theatre in the round, or have a stage with seating on only one side), especially one from the classical period of ancient Greece or Rome, or a modern venue of similar design.

amphitryon

One which receives or entertains a guest, socially, commercially, or officially.

amphore

(chiefly, _, historical) A large vessel, especially a thin-necked clay vat used in ancient Greece and Rome for storing and transporting wine and oil.

amphorique

(medicine) Produced by or indicating a hollow cavity in the lungs, giving a sound like that produced by blowing into an empty decanter.

ample

Large; great in size, extent, capacity, or bulk; for example spacious, roomy or widely extended.

amplement

In an ample manner; extensively; thoroughly.

ampleur

(uncountable, countable) The absolute or relative size, extent or importance of something.

amplifiable

Capable of being amplified.