French — meaning, definition (adjective, proper noun)

adj

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *frankô Proto-West Germanic *Frankō Proto-Indo-European *-iskos Proto-Germanic *-iskaz Proto-West Germanic *-isk Proto-West Germanic *Frankisk Old English Frencisċder. Middle English Frensch English French Inherited from Middle English Frenche, Frensch, Frensc, Frenshe, Frenk, Franche, from Old English Frenċisċ (“Frankish, French”), from Proto-West Germanic *Frankisk (“Frankish”), equivalent to Frank + -ish (compare Frankish). Cognate with Middle Low German vranksch, frenkisch, vrenkesch, vrenksch (“Frankish, French”), Middle High German vrenkisch, vrensch ("Frankish, Franconian; > German fränkisch (“Frankish, Franconian”)), Danish fransk (“French”), Swedish fransk, fransysk (“French”), Icelandic franska (“French”). Doublet of Frankish; piecewise doublet of Francis, Franz, and Francisco, which are derived from Late Latin Franciscus In reference to vulgar language, from expressions such as pardon my French in the early 19th century, originally in reference to actual (but often mildly impolite) French expressions by the upper class, subsequently adopted ironically by the lower class for English curse words under the charitable conceit that the listener would not be familiar with them. In reference to vermouth, a shortened form of French vermouth, distinguished as usually being drier than Italian vermouth.

Of or relating to France.
“the French border with Italy”
“That must have hurt, especially because you knew the French children weren’t even trying. “Uh, go on, play weez your seellee nambeurs. Zey tell you nosseeng of ze true naytcheur of ze soula. I’ll weepa for you.””
Of or relating to the people or culture of France.
“French customs”
Of or relating to the French language.
“French verbs”
Of or related to oral sex, especially fellatio.
“French active”
“French girl”
Used to form names or references to venereal diseases.
“French disease”
“French crown”
Used to form names or references to an unconventional or fancy style.
“French curve”
“French cut”

name

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *frankô Proto-West Germanic *Frankō Proto-Indo-European *-iskos Proto-Germanic *-iskaz Proto-West Germanic *-isk Proto-West Germanic *Frankisk Old English Frencisċder. Middle English Frensch English French Inherited from Middle English Frenche, Frensch, Frensc, Frenshe, Frenk, Franche, from Old English Frenċisċ (“Frankish, French”), from Proto-West Germanic *Frankisk (“Frankish”), equivalent to Frank + -ish (compare Frankish). Cognate with Middle Low German vranksch, frenkisch, vrenkesch, vrenksch (“Frankish, French”), Middle High German vrenkisch, vrensch ("Frankish, Franconian; > German fränkisch (“Frankish, Franconian”)), Danish fransk (“French”), Swedish fransk, fransysk (“French”), Icelandic franska (“French”). Doublet of Frankish; piecewise doublet of Francis, Franz, and Francisco, which are derived from Late Latin Franciscus In reference to vulgar language, from expressions such as pardon my French in the early 19th century, originally in reference to actual (but often mildly impolite) French expressions by the upper class, subsequently adopted ironically by the lower class for English curse words under the charitable conceit that the listener would not be familiar with them. In reference to vermouth, a shortened form of French vermouth, distinguished as usually being drier than Italian vermouth.

The language of France, shared by the neighboring countries Belgium, Monaco, and Switzerland and by former French colonies around the world.
“She speaks French.”
“Ne mowe we alle Latin wite... Ne French...”
The ability of a person to communicate in French.
“My French is a little rusty.”
“[Racine's] language is the language of the times, and that of the purest sort; so that his French is reckoned a standard.”
French language and literature as an object of study.
“I'm taking French next semester.”
Vulgar language.
“Pardon my French.”
“The enraged headsman spares no 'bad French' in explaining his motives.”
A surname originating as an ethnonym.
“Dawn French.”
“David French was a high profile #nevertrump conservative who even toyed with running for president against him.”

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *frankô Proto-West Germanic *Frankō Proto-Indo-European *-iskos Proto-Germanic *-iskaz Proto-West Germanic *-isk Proto-West Germanic *Frankisk Old English Frencisċder. Middle English Frensch English French Inherited from Middle English Frenche, Frensch, Frensc, Frenshe, Frenk, Franche, from Old English Frenċisċ (“Frankish, French”), from Proto-West Germanic *Frankisk (“Frankish”), equivalent to Frank + -ish (compare Frankish). Cognate with Middle Low German vranksch, frenkisch, vrenkesch, vrenksch (“Frankish, French”), Middle High German vrenkisch, vrensch ("Frankish, Franconian; > German fränkisch (“Frankish, Franconian”)), Danish fransk (“French”), Swedish fransk, fransysk (“French”), Icelandic franska (“French”). Doublet of Frankish; piecewise doublet of Francis, Franz, and Francisco, which are derived from Late Latin Franciscus In reference to vulgar language, from expressions such as pardon my French in the early 19th century, originally in reference to actual (but often mildly impolite) French expressions by the upper class, subsequently adopted ironically by the lower class for English curse words under the charitable conceit that the listener would not be familiar with them. In reference to vermouth, a shortened form of French vermouth, distinguished as usually being drier than Italian vermouth.

The people of France; groups of French people.
“The Hundred Years' War was fought between the English and the French.”
“Under the Fourth Republic, more and more French unionized.”
Synonym of oral sex, especially fellatio.
“French--^([sic]) to do the French--Cocksucking; and, inversely, to tongue a woman.”
“You can be whipped or caned... or you can have French for another pound.”
Ellipsis of French vermouth, a type of dry vermouth.
“Tearle replied that gin-and-French and virginian cigarettes would do for him.”
“He was drinking double gins with single Frenches in them.”
A French person.

verb

Etymology: From Middle English French, Frensch, Frensh, from Old English Frencisc (“of the Franks, Frankish, French”), from Franca (“a Frank”). Compare Old High German Franko (“a Frank”), akin to Old English franca (“javelin, spear”), from the use of such weapons by the Franks.

To prepare food by cutting it into strips.
To kiss (another person) while inserting one’s tongue into the other person's mouth.
“Tom frenched her full in the mouth.”
To kiss in this manner.
“We frenched by the wall.”
To French trim; to stylishly expose bone by removing the fat and meat covering it (as done to a rack of lamb or bone-in rib-eye steak).

adjective

proper noun

Wiktionary

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