French words used in English Vocab Quiz

a la carte

adv. according to the menu (bill of fare); dish by dish, from a menu stating the price for each dish

a la mode

adj. 1. according to fashion; stylish 2. with ice cream

adieu

n. good-bye; farewell

adroit

adj. skillful; ant. of maladroit (-ineffective or clumsy)

ambience

n. surroundings; atmosphere; environment

aperitif

n. alcoholic drink taken before a meal as an appetizer

aplomb

n. absolute confidence in oneself; poise; self-possession

apropos

preposition by the way; incidentally

attaché

n. member of the diplomatic staff of an ambassador or minister

au courant

adj. well-informed; up-to-date

au revior

n. good-bye; till we meet again

avant-garde

n. experimentalists or innovators

avoirdupois

n. weight; heaviness

bagatelle

n. trifle; a thing of little importance

baton

n. rod a conductor uses to direct an orchestra or band

bête noire

n. dreaded object or person; bugbear

billet-doux

n. love letter

blasé

adj. tired of pleasures; bored

bon mot

n. clever saying; witty remark; witticism

bonbon

n. piece of candy

bouffant

adj. puffed out; full

bourgeois

adj. 1. having to do with the middle class 2. concerned with petty, materialistic interests; lacking in culture or refinement

bourgeoisie

n. the middle class

boutique

n. small shop specializing in fashionable clothes

brochure

n. pamphlet; booklet

canard

n. false rumor; absurd story; hoax

carte blanche

n. full discretionary power; freedom to use one's own judgement

cause célèbre

n. famous case in law that arouses considerable interest; issue, person, incident, or situation attracting much attention

chargé d’affaires

n. temporary substitute for an ambassador

chef d’oeuvre

n. chief work; masterpiece in art, literature, etc.

chemise

n. loose-fitting, sack like dress

chic

adj. stylish

clairvoyant

adj. 1. clear-sighted; unusually perceptive; discerning 2. able to perceive matters beyond the ordinary senses

cliché

n. worn-out expression; trite phrase

coiffure

n. style of arranging the hair

complaisant

adj. willing to please; obliging; amiable

concierge

n. 1. door-keeper; custodian; janitor 2. hotel employee who handles mail, arranges theater reservations, etc.

confrere

n. colleague; co-worker; comrade

connoisseur

n. expert; critical judge

consommé

n. clear soup; broth

contretemps

n. inopportune occurrence; embarrassing situation; mishap

coterie

n. set or circle of acquaintances; clique

coup de grace

n. decisive finishing blow

coup d'etat

n. sudden violent overthrow of a government

cravat

n. necktie; neckband; scarf

croissant

n. rich, flaky crescent-shaped roll

cuisine

n. style of cooking or preparing food

cul-de-sac

n. blind alley (closed at one end); dead end; street with no outlet

debacle

n. collapse; disaster; overthrow; rout; fiasco

debonair

adj. gracious; courteous; charming; suave

debutante

n. young woman who has just had her debut 

demarche

n. course of action; maneuver

demitasse

n. small cup for, or of, strong black coffee

denouement

n. solution of the plot in a play, story, or complex situation; outcome; end

détente

n. relaxing, as of strained relations between nation

devotee

n. zealous follower; ardent adherent of something or someone; fan

éclat

n. brilliancy of achievement

élan

n. enthusiasm; eagerness for action

elite

n. group of individuals thought to be superior; aristocracy; choice part

émigré

(masc.) or émigrée (fem.) n. refugee; person who has fled from his native land because of political conditions

en route

adv. 1. on the way 2. along the way

encore

n. audience's demand for an additional performance; repetition or additional performance in response to applause

ennui

n. feeling of weariness and discontent; boredom; tedium

ensemble

n. complete costume of harmonious clothing and accessories

entente

n. understanding or agreement between governments

entourage

n. group of attendants, assistants, or associates accompanying a person

entre nous

adv. between us; confidentially

entrée

n. main dish at lunch or dinner

entrepreneur

n. one who assumes the risks and management of a business

envoy

n. diplomatic agent or messenger

esprit de corps

n. feeling of union and common interest pervading a group; devotion to a group or to its ideals

etiquette

n. required social or official usages; code of behavior

façade

n. face or front of a building, or of anything; false front

fait accompli

n. thing already done

faux pas

n. misstep; blunder in conduct, manners, or speech, etc. 

fete

n. festival; entertainment; party

fiancé

(masc.) or fiancée (f.) n. person engaged to be married

filet (fillet)

n. slice of meat or fish without bones

finesse

n. skill and adroitness in handling a difficult situation

flamboyant

adj. flame like; ornate; showy; vivid

foyer

n. entrance hall; lobby; anteroom; vestibule 

gauche

adj. lacking social grace; crude; tactless; awkward

gendarme

n. armed police officer, especially in France and other European countries

genre

n. 1. kind; sort; category 2. style of painting depicting scenes from every day life

gourmand

n. person excessively fond of eating and drinking; glutton

gourmet

n. connoisseur in eating and drinking

hors d'oeuvres

n. pl. light foods served as appetizers before the regular courses of a meal

impasse

n. deadlock; predicament with no obvious way out; stalemate 

ingénue

n. actress playing the role of a naive young woman; naive young woman

laissez-faire

n. doctrine opposing interference by government in economic affairs; noninterference

legerdemain

n. sleight of hand; artful trick

lettre de cachet

n. letter bearing a seal ordering the imprisonment without trial of a person the letter names

liaison

n. 1. bond; linking up; coordination of activities 2. person who establishes and maintains this connection

maître d'/maître d'hôtel

n. headwaiter

maladroit

adj. unskillful; clumsy

malaise

n. vague feeling of bodily discomfort or illness

martinet

n. person who enforces very strict discipline 

mélange

n. mixture; medley; potpourri

milieu

n. environment; setting; surroundings

mot juste

n. exactly right word; most suitable expression