The pervasiveness of words of French origin that have been borrowed into English is comparable to that of borrowings from Latin.
J
jabot jacinth jack, Old Fr. or , a garment, from , general nickname for peasants who used to wear this garment (see jacket) jacket, Old Fr. , diminutive form of jade jail jalousie jamb jambalaya jangle janizary jape jar jardinière jargon jasmine jasper jaundice jaunt jaunty javelin jaw jay, Old Fr. , compare Mod. Fr. je ne sais quoi jealous jealousy jeans jelly (from ) jennet jeopardy jeremiad jersey jest jet jete jetsam jettison jetty jewel, Old Fr. , compare Mod. Fr. jeweller jewelry jocund joie de vivre join, from joinder joiner joint jointure joist jollity jolly jongleur jonquil jouissance journal journey (Old Fr. ) joust jovial joviality joy joyous jubilation jubilee judge, from judgement judgment judicious juggle, from juggler juice julep julienne jupe juridic jury just, from Old French justice, from Old French, compare modern Fr. justiciable justifiable justification justify juxtapose juxtaposition
K
kaolin, Fr. , from Chinese kennel kepi, Fr. , from Swiss Germ. kerchief kermess or kirmess (Fr. ') kestrel khedive kiosk, Fr. , from Turkish , from Persian kir
L
label laborious labour or labor, Old Fr. , compare Mod. Fr. lace lackey, Middle Fr. lacquer lacrosse lactose lagoon, Fr. , from Italian , from Latin laic laity lake lamé lamentable lampoon lamprey lance lancer lancet language (Old Fr. ) languish languor languorous lantern lanyard lapidary lapse larceny lard large largess las lash lassitude lateen latent latitude latrine lattice laud launch launder laundry laurel lavage lavalier lavender laver (Fr. ) lavish lawn laxative laxity lay (adj. and n.) layette league lease leash leaven lecher lecherous lechery lectern lees legacy legend legerdemain legion legionnaire legume leguminous leisure, Old Fr. , compare modern Fr. lemon lemonade lenity lenient lentil leotard lesion lessee lesson lessor letter lettuce levee level lever levy lexicographer liable liaise liaison lias libel, Old Fr. liberal liberality liberation libertine liberty, Old Fr . library libre license licorice liege lien lieu lieutenant ligature lignite lilac limbic limit limousine limpid line lineage lineal lineament lingerie linnet lintel lion liquefaction liquefy liqueur liquid liquor, Old Fr. liquorice list liter literal literary literature, Old Fr. litigant litigious, Old Fr. litotes litre litter litterateur liturgy livery livid lizard loach, Old Fr. local locale localisation localise locality locket locomotive locust lodge lodgement loin longitude lorgnette loris lotion louche Louis lounge loupe louver loyal loyalty lozenge, Old Fr. , compare modern Fr. ludic luff luge lumen luminaire luminary, Middle Fr. lunar lunatic lune lunette lunge lupin, Old Fr. lure lush lustre or luster lute luthier luxe luxurious luxury lyre
M
macabre macaque macaroon mace macédoine macer mache machine mackerel mackle macle macramé macule madam (Old Fr. ) madame madeleine mademoiselle maderization madrilene magazine magistral magnanimity magnificence magnificent magnify magnolia maigre mail, [post, letters] Old Fr. , [metal ring armour] Old Fr. maillot maim maintain (Old Fr. ) maintenance maisonette, Fr. majesty (Fr. ) major (n.) majority (Fr. ) majuscule malachite maladroit malady malaise malapert malapropos malcontent mal de mer mal du siècle male, Old Fr. , compare Mod. Fr. malediction malevolence malevolent malfeasance malic malice malicious malign malignity malinger (Fr. ) malison mallard mallet malversation mammary manacle manage mandolin maneuver or manoeuvre, Fr. manganese mange manger mangetout mangle mangonel manicure manipulation mannequin manner manometer manor manque mansard mansion mantle, Old Fr. , compare mod. Fr. mantua, Fr. manual (n.) manufacture manure map maquette maquis maraud marble march mardi gras margarine marinade marinate marine, Middle Fr. mariner marionette, Fr. marital maritime marjoram market marl marmalade, Middle Fr. , from Port. marmoset marmot maroon marque marquee marquess marquetry marquis marriage, Old Fr. marry, Old Fr. marshal, Old Fr. , compare modern Fr. martel de fer marten, Old Fr. , compare modern Fr. martin martinet martingale marvel, Old Fr. marvelous, Old Fr. , compare mod. Fr. mascle mascot masculine masculinity mask, Middle Fr. mason, Old Fr. , compare mod. Fr. masonry, Fr. masque masquerade, Fr. , from Italian mass, Old Fr. massacre, Middle Fr. massage masseur masseuse massicot massif massive master, Old Fr. mastery, Old Fr. mastiff match [stick for striking fire], Old Fr. , compare mod. Fr. matelot matelote materiel maternal maternity mathematician mathematics matinal matinee matins matricide matrix, Old Fr. matron matte matter, Anglo-Fr. , compare mod. Fr. mattress, Old Fr. , compare modern Fr. maturation maudlin maul mauve mavis maxim mayday, Fr. , shortening of mayhem, Anglo-Fr. , from Old Fr. mayonnaise mayor, Old Fr. mayoralty meagre mean [middle, intermediate], Old Fr. , compare mod. Fr. measurable measure medal, Middle Fr. medallion meddle, Old North. Fr. (Old Fr. , compare mod. Fr. ) median mediant medical medicament medication medicine mediocre, Fr. mediocrity meditation meditative medlar medley, Old Fr. melange melee or mêlée melon member memoir memorable memory, Anglo-Fr. , compare mod. Fr. menace menage ménage à trois menagerie mend, Old Fr. mendacious, Middle Fr. mendicity menhir, Fr. , from Breton menial menstruous mental mentality mention menu mercantile mercer merchandise merchant mercy, Old Fr. or mere (adj.), Old Fr. merengue meridian meridional meringue merit merle merlin, Anglo-Fr. , from Old Fr. merlon mesalliance mesclun mesne mess, Old Fr. message messenger messuage meticulous metier mew (n.) [cage], Old Fr. mezzanine, Fr. , from Italian migrant migration milieu milfoil militant militarisation military millet milliard milligram millilitre millimetre million millionaire, Fr. minaret, Fr. , from Turkish , from Arabic minatory mince, Old Fr. mine (n.), Old Fr. miner miniature minion minister, Old Fr. ministerial minority minstrel mint minuet minuscule minute mirabelle miracle miraculous mirage mirepoix mirliton mirror, Old Fr. , compare mod. Fr. misadventure, Old Fr. miscellany mischance mischief mischievous miscreant, Old Fr. , compare mod. Fr. mise en scène miserable, Old Fr. misery, Old Fr. , compare mod. Fr. misfeasance misnomer misprision misprize missal missile mistral mistress mitigation mitre mitten, Old Fr. mix, Anglo-Fr. , compare mod. Fr. mixture mizzen, Middle Fr. moat mobile mobilisation mobilise or mobilize mobility mock mockery modal modality mode model moderation modern modernisation modest modesty modifiable modification modify modulation module mohair, Middle Fr. , from Arabic moiety moil moire moist, Old Fr. , compare mod. Fr. moisture mold mole molecule molest molestation mollification mollify mollusc moment, Old Fr. monarchy, Old Fr. monastery monetary money, Old Fr. , compare mod. Fr. monition monsieur monster, Old Fr. monstrous montage mooch moraine moral morale moralise morality mordant morel morganatic morgue moribund morsel mort mortal mortality mortar mortgage mortise mortification mortify mortise mortmain mortuary mosque, Middle Fr. mot juste motet motif motion motivation motive motley moue mount, Old Fr. mountain, Old Fr. , compare mod. Fr. mountainous, Fr. mousse moustache or mustache, compare mouton enragé movable move, Old Fr. , compare mod. Fr. movement mucilage muck muffle, Old Fr. mulct mule [footwear] mullein mullet mullion multiple multiplication multiply multitude mummification mummify mummy mundane municipal municipality munificence munition mural murmur murrain muscat muscatel muscle musculature muse mushroom music musical musicality musician musk musket, Middle Fr. musketeer, Middle Fr. muslin mustard, Old Fr. , compare modern Fr. muster, Old Fr. , compare modern Fr. mute mutineer mutiny mutton mutual muzzle
N
nacarat nacelle nacre naiant naïve naivete naivety nanometre nanosecond nanotechnology nard narghile narration narrative nasal natality nation, Old Fr. , from Latin , compare mod. Fr. national nationalisation nationalise native nativity natron natural, Old Fr. naturalisation naturalise nature, Old Fr. naval, Old Fr. navarin navigable navigation navy, Old Fr. neat, Anglo-Fr. , from Old Fr. , compare mod. Fr. nebulous nebuly nécessaire necessary necessity née or nee, feminine past participle of , 'to be born' negation negative negatory negligee negligence negligent negligible negotiation negritude nervure neutral neutralisation neutralise neutrality neve newel nice (Old Fr. ) nicety niche nicotine niece nobility noble noblesse oblige nocturnal nocturne noise (Old Fr. ) nom de guerre nom de plume nominative nonage nonchalance nonchalant nonpareil noose norm normative notable notary note notice notification notify notoriety nougat noun nourish nourishment nouveau riche nouveau roman nouveau nouvelle cuisine nouvelle vague novel novelty novice (Old Fr. ) novitiate nuance nubile nuisance null nullity (Fr. ) number (Old Fr. ) numeral numeric nurse nursery nurture nutmeg nutrition (Fr. ) nutritive
O
obedient, Old Fr. obeisance, Old Fr. , compare Mod. Fr. obesity obey objection oblation obligation oblige, Old Fr. , compare Mod. Fr. oblique obliquity obscene obscure obscurity observance observant observatory observe obstacle obtain obtuse occasion occident occidental occipital occupation, Old Fr. , compare Mod. Fr. occupy occur occurrence ocelot, Fr. , from Nahuatl ochre octogenarian odalisque ode odious, Anglo-Fr. , from Old Fr. , compare Mod. Fr. odometer, Fr. odour or odor, Anglo-Fr. , from Old Fr. , compare Mod. Fr. oeillade oeuvre offend offense, Old Fr. offensive offer office officer, Old Fr. official officinal ogive, Fr. ogre oil, Old Fr. , compare Mod. Fr. ointment, Old Fr. oleaginous olive omelette or omelet, Fr. omission omnibus omnipotent onerous onion ooh la la opacity opal opaque operation opine opinion, Old Fr. opportune opportunity oppose, Old Fr. opposite opposition, Old Fr. , compare Mod. Fr. oppress, Old Fr. oppression opprobrious opt optative, Fr. option opulence oracle, Old Fr. oracular orange, Old Fr. , compare Mod. Fr. orator orb ordain, Old Fr. , compare Mod. Fr. order, Old Fr. ordinance ordinary ordination ordure organdy orient orientate orientation orifice oriflamme origin original originality orimulsion oriole, Fr. , from Old Provençal orison ormolu ornament orpine oscillation osier osprey ostensible ostentation oubliette ounce oust ouster outrage outrageous outré overt overture ovule oyer and terminer oyez
P
pace, Old Fr. pacific pacification pacify packet pact page pagination pail paillard pain paint painter pair palace, Old Fr. paladin palate palatial palatine palaver pale (adj.) palestra palette palfrey palisade pallet palliative pallor palm, Old Fr. palmer palp palpable palpitant palpitation panache panda pane panel panne pannier pansy, Fr. pant, Old Fr. pantaloons, Fr. pantry papa papal paper papillon paramount, Anglo-Fr. , from Old Fr. paramour parapet parasol, Fr. , from Italian parboil parcel parchment pardon pare parent parentage parental parenthesis par excellence parfait parish parity park parlance parley parliament parlour parquet parricide parrot parry parse parsley parsnip parson part (Old Fr. ) parterre partial (Old Fr. , compare modern Fr. or , the latter being a synonym of biased) partiality participant participation participle particular particularity partisan partition partner party parvenu pas pass (Old Fr. ) passable passage passant passé passenger passion passive passport paste pastel pastern pasteurisation pasteurise pastiche pastille pastis pastor pastoral pastry pasturage pasture pasty patch patchouli pâté patent paternal paternity patience (Old Fr. ) patient patina patisserie patois