name
Very common
French
frehnch
French (name) means the language spoken in France and by French-speaking communities around the world. Example: “She studied French for six years before moving to Paris.”
name
1
The language spoken in France and by French-speaking communities around the world.
"She studied French for six years before moving to Paris."
adj
1
Relating to France, its people, or its culture.
"They served a traditional French meal with wine pairings."
verb
1
To cut food, especially vegetables or meat, into thin strips.
"French the green beans before adding them to the stir-fry."
How to use French
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRelating to France or the French language; also, as a verb, cutting food into thin strips.
Common mistake
Capitalize "French" when referring to the country, language, or nationality — lowercase uses (like "french fries" in casual writing) are informal exceptions, not the rule.
Common pairings
speak French
French cuisine
french the beans
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Word forms
- Plural
- Frenches
- Third person singular
- frenches
- Past tense
- frenched
- Comparative
- more French, Frencher
- Superlative
- most French, Frenchest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She studied _____ for six years before moving to Paris.
Etymology
From Old English Frencisc, meaning "Frankish," ultimately from the name of the Franks, the Germanic people who gave their name to France.
Synonyms
View more →
the French language
français
Gallic
Rhymes for French
See all rhymes for French →Frequently asked questions
What does “French” mean?
The word “French” means the language spoken in France and by French-speaking communities around the world. In plain terms, relating to France or the French language; also, as a verb, cutting food into thin strips.
How do you pronounce “French”?
“French” is pronounced frehnch (/fɹɛnt͡ʃ/ in IPA).
How do you use “French” in a sentence?
Here is “French” used in a sentence: “She studied French for six years before moving to Paris.”
What part of speech is “French”?
Depending on how it is used, “French” can be a name, an adjective and a verb.
Where does the word “French” come from?
The word “French” comes from Old English. From Old English Frencisc, meaning "Frankish," ultimately from the name of the Franks, the Germanic people who gave their name to France.
Is “French” a common word?
“French” is a very common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “French” have?
“French” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the language spoken in France and by French-speaking communities around the world.
Where is French spoken?
French is spoken far beyond France. It is an official language in Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Monaco, and Canada, especially Quebec, as well as in many African countries such as Senegal, Ivory Coast, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is also widely studied and used in international diplomacy.
How many people speak French?
Roughly 300 million people speak French worldwide, counting both native speakers and those who use it as a second language. It ranks among the most widely spoken languages on Earth and is one of the few used on every continent, thanks largely to France's historical global reach.
Is French hard to learn?
For English speakers, French is considered one of the easier languages to learn. English borrowed thousands of words from French, so much vocabulary looks familiar. The main challenges are pronunciation, silent letters, gendered nouns, and verb conjugations, but its shared alphabet and Latin roots give beginners a helpful head start.
Is French a Romance language?
Yes. French is a Romance language, meaning it descends from the Latin spoken across the Roman Empire. Its close relatives include Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian, which share much grammar and vocabulary. This Latin ancestry is why French words often resemble those in other Romance languages and in English.
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