Word origins

• abat-jourA skylight.
• abat-sonAn architectural device consisting of large louvres with the purpose of directing sound in a specific direction.
• abatsonsA device for directing sound downward. Sounding board.
• abattageThe slaughter of animals, especially diseased ones to limit the spread of the disease.
• abat-ventLouvres or strips of wood or metal used as windbreaks that allow light and air in, often seen in belfries.
• abat-voixA device for reflection of sound, as in a sounding board over a pulpit or rostrum.
• abbéA low-ranking member of the Roman Catholic clergy in France who is not a member of a religious order, is not a priest, and can marry and inherit property; an honorific title for such a clergymember.
• aberroscopeAn instrument used to observe aberration of the eye
• abirritantActing to diminish irritation; soothing.
• AbitbolA surname from French.
• ablegateTo send abroad.
• abletA small fresh-water fish (Alburnus alburnus); the bleak.
• abonnéA subscriber; a season ticket holder.
• abordageThe act of boarding a ship as part of an attack.
• à boucheHaving a bouche on the dexter side.
• abouchementThe point of union of two vessels.
• abracadabrantludicrous, preposterous
• abreuvoirA cold water drinking fountain (for people) typically found in a public location; more generally, any fountain or water source (including for animals like birds, horses etc).
• Abri AuditOf or belonging to the prehistoric culture between the late Mousterian and Aurignacian.
• academistAn academic philosopher.
• acajouThe cashew tree.
• accableTo overwhelm; to encumber.
• accoléCrescent-shaped.
• accostableApproachable; affable; willing to be accosted.
• accoucheTo aid in an accouchement; to assist (a mother) in the birth (of a child).
• accouchementDelivery in childbed; parturition
• accoucheurA person, especially a man, who delivers a baby (in childbirth).
• accoucheuseA midwife.
• accouplementThe act of coupling, or the state of being coupled; union
• accusatorA male accuser.
• acerbitySourness of taste, with bitterness and astringency, like that of unripe fruit.
• acetificationThe act of making acetous or sour; the process of converting, or of becoming converted, into vinegar.
• acharnéRelentlessly opposed; irreconcilable.
• acheneA small, dry, indehiscent fruit, containing a single seed, as in the buttercup.
• acierageThe process of electroplating a copper engraving with iron or steel.
• acierationThe conversion of iron into steel.
• à contrecœurReluctantly, unwillingly, with disgust.
• acouchiAny of several rodents of the genus Myoprocta, smaller than agoutis, which inhabit Amazonia.
• acquiescementAcquiescence (assent, submission).
• acquis communautaireThe full body of European Union law.
• acte clairThe doctrine, in European law, that cases involving a law with a reasonably obvious interpretation do not need to be referred to the European Court of Justice.
• acte gratuitAn impulsive act lacking motive.
• actionalismThe theory of sociologist Alain Touraine that aims to replace sociology's focus from society to actors. Here, they emphasise the importance of individuals as agents of social systems, rather than passive observers.
• actuo-Present, current, living, active.
• actuopalynologyThe branch of palynology concerned with the study of modern-day pollens and spores, rather than with fossils.
• adapteeA class that is converted to another class using a so-called adapter class.
• AdenotA surname from French
• à deuxTo be played by two people.
• admirativeCharacterized by admiration.
• adoratorSynonym of adorer.
• adretThe sun-facing side of a mountain; in the northern hemisphere, this is typically the south-facing slope.
• aeronatA dirigible balloon.
• aeronefairplane; a flying machine, an aircraft.
• aerostationAerial navigation; the act or science of raising and guiding balloons in the air.
• affaire d'honneurA duel.
• affinageThe aging of cheese as part of its manufacture.
• affineurOne who ages cheese and purveys it.
• affranchiA freed (manumitted) black person in one of France's colonies, especially Haiti.
• affreuxA group of particularly brutal mercenaries who were active in Africa and Asia during the 1960s.
• affrontéFace to face, or with the fronts facing each other.
• agacerieCoquetry; flirtatiousness.
• agencementA layout (of e.g., a store) set up for a particular purpose; the structure of an economic market.
• agente provocatriceA female agent provocateur; a woman who incites someone to do something, especially something incriminating.
• agent provocateurA person who secretly disrupts a group's activities from within the group, particularly by encouraging or committing illegal acts to discredit the group or expose them to prosecution; an instigator, troublemaker.
• agiotageStock exchange business; especially, stockjobbing, manipulation of securities prices.
• agnaticof the male bloodline; patrilineal
• à gogoIn abundance, galore.
• agonicLacking an angle.
• AgouraiA commune and town in Fez-Meknes, Morocco.
• agraffeA decorated clasp consisting of a hook which fastens onto a ring, similar to hook and eye, used in armor or in ordinary clothing.
• agréationSynonym of agrément (“formal approval given by a state government to a foreign diplomat”).
• agrégéIn France, a civil servant who teaches as a professor.
• agrémensAgreeable qualities or circumstances.
• agrémentPleasant qualities, charms.
• agriotSynonym of sour cherry.
• aide-de-campA military officer who serves as an adjutant to a higher-ranking officer, prince or other high political dignitary.
• aide-mémoireA memory aid; a reminder or memorandum, especially a book or document serving this purpose.
• aigretteA feather or plume, or feather-shaped item, used as an adornment or ornament, typically in hats or hair.
• aiguilletteAn ornamental braided cord with decorative metal tips worn on uniforms.
• ailetteA small square piece of armour, normally made of boiled leather, worn on the shoulders of knights.
• aimableCapable of being aimed.
• AiméeA female given name from French.
• air de courA piece of secular vocal music of a kind popular in France in the late Renaissance and early Baroque period, from about 1570 until around 1650.
• air du tempsCurrent popular opinion or trends of a very large group of people, a city or a country.
• -aireOne whose wealth exceeds a specific number of units in the local currency.
• ajouréA technique for creating patterns of open areas in fabric by tying woven threads together.
• ajutageA tube through which is water is discharged; an efflux tube.
• a laIn the style or manner of.
• à la carteAllowing selection from a fixed list of individually priced options shown on the menu.
• a la minutePrepared to order, not prepared in advance.
• a la modeFashionable; in the current style or fashion.
• à la nageServed in a broth in which it was poached or cooked.
• à la russeOf a dinner service, having courses already cut and handed out to individual guests.
• AlbouyA surname from French [in turn from Occitan].
• AlcindorA surname from French.
• AlençonAlençon lace.
• alépinemixed wool and silk or mohair and cotton fabric
• AlèsA town and commune of Gard department, Occitania, France.
• alevinNewly hatched fish, especially salmon.
• alexipharmacA medical remedy for protecting the body, or an antidote, against a harmful substance, especially a poison or venom (specifically, that of a snake); an alexipharmic, an antidote.