It may not seem as though English and French have much in common. English is a West Germanic language, while French is a Romance language mainly descended from Latin. Yet, these two languages share over 1,700 identical words – often with similar or exact meanings. Up to 45% of English words have French origins, largely due to the Norman invasion of Britain in 1066.
24/7 Tempo consulted the Oxford English Dictionary and language sites including Babbel, Translation Directory, French Together, and Busuu to compile a list of English words that are French in origin, either spelled the same way, usually with the same meaning or drawn from a similarly spelled French term. Because French culinary terms are so common in English – from “café” to “soufflé” and even “restaurant” and “cuisine” – they are not included here.
As much as they have in common, there are also major differences between the English and French vocabulary. One of these is the French use of diacritics, the accent marks attached to particular letters. Many of the words with French origins are exactly the same except for an accent above a certain letter, such as the English “debris” and the French “débris” – though some French terms, like the aforementioned “café” and “soufflé,” retain their accents in our language.
The English vocabulary takes from both Old French and modern French. In addition to exact cognates with origins in Old French, English has many words that are derived from the names of famous French people, including “pasteurize,” “silhouette,” and “magnolia.” Still, other parts of our vocabulary are borrowed from modern French, such as the phrases “avant-garde” and “déjà vu.” (English also borrows Latin phrases. Here are Latin phrases everyone should know.)
Here are common English words that are French
Allowance
- French origin: Alouance
- Meaning in French: Praise, acknowledgment
Anguish
- French origin: Angoisse
- Meaning in French: Anguish, anxiety
Arbor
- French origin: Arbre
- Meaning in French: Tree
Bachelor
- French origin: Bachelier
- Meaning in French: Bachelor
Brunette
- French origin: Brunette
- Meaning in French: Brunette
Bureau
- French origin: Bureau
- Meaning in French: Office, desk
Chassis
- French origin: Châssis
- Meaning in French: Frame, undercarriage, stretcher
Chic
- French origin: Chic
- Meaning in French: Chic, elegant
Debris
- French origin: Débris
- Meaning in French: Debris, remains
Dossier
- French origin: Dossier
- Meaning in French: Case, folder
Encore
- French origin: Encore
- Meaning in French: Again, still, yet
Energy
- French origin: Énergie
- Meaning in French: Energy, vitality
Envisage
- French origin: Envisager
- Meaning in French: To consider
- French origin: Fiancé
- Meaning in French: Fiancé, engaged
Gauche
- French origin: Gauche
- Meaning in French: Left
Gazette
- French origin: Gazette
- Meaning in French: Gazette, newspaper
Lagoon
- French origin: Lagune
- Meaning in French: Lagoon
Legume
- French origin: Légume
- Meaning in French: Vegetable
Lilac
- French origin: Lilas
- Meaning in French: Lilac
Literature
- French origin: Littérature
- Meaning in French: Literature
Majesty
- French origin: Majesté
- Meaning in French: Majesty, grandeur
Maladroit
- French origin: Maladroit
- Meaning in French: Clumsy, awkward
Marine
- French origin: Marin
- Meaning in French: Sailor, Marine
Matinee
- French origin: Matinée
- Meaning in French: Morning, forenoon
Occasion
- French origin: Occasion
- Meaning in French: Opportunity, chance
Pasteurize
- French origin: Pasteuriser
- Meaning in French: To pasteurize (from Louis Pasteur, inventor of the process)
Purify
- French origin: Purifier
- Meaning in French: To purify
Reservoir
- French origin: Réservoir
- Meaning in French: Tank, cistern
Souvenir
- French origin: Souvenir
- Meaning in French: Memory
Zest
- French origin: Zeste
- Meaning in French: Enthusiasm, rind, peel