Word origins

• confrontéFace-to-face; facing each other; fornenst.
• congéSynonym of apophyge or cavetto, supports at the top or bottom of pillars, particularly rings or ferrils in the extremities of wooden pillars, added to provide support and prevent splintering, their imitation in stone, or a molding in the form of a quarter round.
• congé d'élireA licence from the Crown in England issued under the great seal to the dean and chapter of the cathedral church of a diocese, authorizing them to elect a bishop or archbishop upon the vacancy of any episcopal see in England.
• Congis-sur-ThérouanneA village in Seine-et-Marne department, France.
• CongolianOf, from, or pertaining to the Congo River or associated ecosystems.
• connoisseuseA female connoisseur.
• consigneA countersign or watchword.
• consomméa clear broth made from reduced meat or vegetable stock, served either hot as a soup or chilled as a jelly
• constatationThe process of verification.
• constateTo relay information in a statement and say whether it is true or false.
• contractantA contracting party; one that contracts.
• contra danceA type of folk dance style in which couples dance in two facing lines of indefinite length.
• contravallationA fortification built around a sieged target by the besiegers.
• ContrazyA village in Ariège department, Occitania, France.
• contrecoupA bruising of the brain caused by a blow, appearing on the opposite side to that on which the blow was struck.
• contredanseA folk dance in which two lines of couples face each other.
• contre-jourSynonym of backlighting.
• conventionnelA member of the French National Convention.
• conviveTo feast with others
• copistA copier; one who copies.
• CoppeeA surname from French.
• coprolaliaThe uncontrolled use of abusive, obscene or scatological language; especially such behaviour associated with Tourette syndrome.
• coq au vinA dish of chicken cooked with wine (usually red wine) along with accompaniments such as mushrooms, onions and garlic.
• coquecigrueA chimera.
• coquelicotA reddish-orange colour; poppy.
• coquelucheA type of hood historically worn by those infected with whooping cough, to keep a warm head.
• cor anglaisA double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family that is pitched in F, one-fifth lower than the oboe and is consequently approximately one-third longer than the oboe.
• corbeilleA decorative basket.
• cordeauA detonating cord.
• cordeliereA decorative cord, especially that surrounding a blazon used to display a widow's coat of arms.
• cordon bleuA skillful chef.
• cordonnetDoubled and twisted thread, made of coarse silk, and used for tassels, fringes, etc.
• cornageA feudal tax levied on horned cattle.
• CornecA surname from French.
• cornemuseA French musical instrument very similar to bagpipes.
• corneuleOne of the corneas of a compound eye in certain invertebrates.
• cornichonA dill-pickled gherkin cucumber.
• cornierA surname from French.
• CornouailleA historical region of Brittany, France, settled by princes from Cornwall.
• corporeityThe quality or fact of having a physical or material body.
• corps-a-corpsThe action of two fencers coming into physical contact with one another with any portion of their bodies or hilts.
• corps d'arméeA corps.
• corps de gardeA body of soldiers stationed on guard.
• corps de logisThe principal mass of a building, excluding the wings.
• Corse-du-SudA department of Corsica, France.
• corsequeA pole weapon with a spike and two lateral blades on a shaft.
• corsetierA manufacturer of corsets.
• corsetiereA female corsetmaker, or a woman in a shop who fits corsets.
• corticineA material used for floor covering, made of ground cork and india rubber.
• corveeUnpaid labor required by a feudal lord.
• coryphéeThe conductor or leader of the chorus of a drama.
• cosmopoliteOne who is at home in every place; a citizen of the world; a cosmopolitan person.
• CosnardA surname from French.
• Cosne-Cours-sur-LoireA town in Nièvre department, France.
• costumierA person who supplies or designs costumes.
• costumiereA female costumier.
• CotardA surname from French.
• cotarnineA white crystalline substance, allegedly with the
• Coteau-du-LacA town in Vaudreuil-Soulanges, Quebec, Canada
• Côte d'AzurThe French Riviera: the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region.
• Côte d'IvoireA country in West Africa.
• Côte d'OrA département (equivalent of a county) in France’s eastern region Bourgogne (Burgundy)
• Côtes-du-NordFormer name of Côtes-d'Armor before 1990.
• CotillardA surname from French.
• CotnoirA surname from French.
• couaA terrestrial bird of the genus Coua, in the cuckoo family.
• couchéInclined at an angle.
• couchetteA couch.
• coudéBent at the tip at a 45° angle, like an elbow.
• coudiereA couter (elbow armor).
• couléAn attacking or feinting movement where the blade slides continuously along the opponent’s blade.
• couleur de roseFavourable; ideal.
• coulisseA piece of timber having a groove in which something glides.
• coulureA disease affecting grapes, manifested by the premature dropping of the fruit.
• coumarouThe tree Dipteryx odorata, which bears the tonka bean.
• countermureA wall raised behind another, to supply its place when that is breached or destroyed.
• coupageThe blending (or cutting) of wine.
• coup d'arretA counter-attack that attempts to take advantage of an uncertain attack
• coup de forceA sudden, violent act.
• coup de foudreA sudden unexpected event, especially an emotional one; love at first sight.
• coup de grâceA final blow or shot given to kill a wounded person or animal.
• coup de mainA sudden development or action carried out to surprise an enemy.
• coup de maitreA masterstroke.
• coup de savatea kick with the flat of the foot
• coup d'étatThe sudden overthrow of a government, differing from a revolution by being carried out by a small group of people who replace only the leading figures.
• coup de théâtreA sudden or unexpected event in a play, pulled off by the author, the director, or even an actor.
• coupéA two-seater car, normally a sports car. (variant of coupe)
• coupe-gorgeAny position giving the enemy such advantage that the troops occupying it must either surrender or be cut to pieces.
• coupetteA small coupe (stemmed glass dish) for serving appetizers or desserts.
• coup Turca complex move involving several pieces in Russian, international, and Brazilian draughts, in which the opponent's pieces, which have already been captured but not yet removed from the board, limit the movement of the king. See the quotation for details.
• courbetteA movement in dressage in which the horse makes a series of jumps on the hind legs with the forelegs in the air.
• coureur de boisA fur trader operating in North America in the seventeenth or eighteenth century without permission from the French authorities.
• CournutA surname from French [in turn from Occitan].
• course landaiseA traditional form of bullfighting from Gascony and the Basque Country.
• Courseulles-sur-MerA coastal commune in Calvados department, Normandy, France, renamed from Courseulles in 1957.
• courtisanerieThe practice or profession of being a courtesan.
• court-nouéA viral disease of grapevines.
• CouseransA historical region of Ariège department, Occitania, France.
• couteau de chassehunting knife
• coutilA woven cloth created specifically for making corsets.