Word origins

• en-papilloteA method of cooking, where the food is wrapped in a pouch made of culinary parchment paper, and then cooked in an oven.
• en passantOf a capture, performed by a pawn on an enemy pawn that has just passed over its attack zone.
• en piedfull-length
• en pleinBeing a simple bet on a single specific outcome, especially a number in roulette.
• en plein airin the open air, alfresco, outside, outdoors
• en pointeOn the tips of one's toes.
• en rapportIn agreement; harmonious.
• en routeOn the way.
• en secondes nocesIn a second marriage.
• ensileTo preserve (forage) in a silo.
• entablemententablature
• entente cordialeA friendly relationship, especially one between parties who might otherwise be adversaries or, at least, wary of one another.
• en-tout-casA combination parasol-umbrella, that can protect from either sunshine or rain.
• entr'acteAn interval between two acts of a play or opera.
• entrechatA manoeuvre whereby the performer jumps up and strikes the heels together a number of times.
• entrecôteSometimes in full entrecôte steak: a premium cut of beef from between the ribs used for roasts and steaks.
• entréeA smaller dish served before the main course of a meal.
• entrelacA knitting technique used to create a textured diamond pattern, comprising interconnected squares on two different orientations.
• EntrelacsA municipality of Quebec. Former name: Wexford.
• entremetsA side dish (often of vegetables), or a small dish of savories served between courses.
• entrepasAn ambling gait between a walk and a trot.
• entrepôtA city, port, or other place where merchandise is sent for import, processing, distribution, and/or export, especially one where such merchandise is exempt from some customs duties; hence, a commercial centre.
• entrepreneuseA woman entrepreneur.
• entresolA mezzanine; an intermediate floor in a building, typically resembling a balcony; most often, the floor immediately above the ground floor and below a higher floor.
• entryismA political tactic by which an organisation or state encourages its members or agents to infiltrate another organisation in an attempt to gain recruits or to encourage an unelectable candidate.
• en ventre sa merein its mother's womb.
• en vogueIn fashion. Fashionable.
• épater le bourgeoisTo scandalize, provoke the middle class.
• épauléPresenting one's shoulder to the audience.
• epauletteAn ornamentation, worn on the shoulders of a military uniform, as a sign of rank.
• epauliereThe part of a suit of armor covering the shoulder; a shoulder plate.
• épicierA French grocer.
• EpigravettianA late Paleolithic culture following the Gravettian, c. 21000–10000 BCE.
• epingletteAn iron needle or pin for piercing the cartridge of a cannon before priming.
• epluchageThe removal of contaminated tissue from an infected wound.
• ÉpoissesA traditional soft, pungent French cheese made from cows' milk.
• epopeean epic, saga
• équipeA team.
• equipollenthaving equal power or force
• eraillureA flake removed from a lithic flake's bulb of force.
• ErnyA surname from French.
• ÉroneA village in Haute-Corse department, Corsica, France.
• eruditAn erudite person, a scholar, especially in French contexts.
• escadrilleA small squadron.
• EscaichA surname from French.
• escalopeA thin slice of meat, especially veal or poultry.
• escamotagetrickery; legerdemain
• escamoteriecheat; deception
• escargatoireA nursery for snails.
• escarmoucheA skirmish.
• EscautThe river Scheldt, which springs modestly in Northern France but becomes navigable for seaships in Flanders (Belgium) and the Netherlands.
• esclavagismSlavery.
• escritoireA writing desk with a hinged door that provides the writing surface.
• escrocA villain or crook, especially in French contexts.
• espadonA long, heavy, two-handed and two-edged sword, formerly used by Spanish foot soldiers and by executioners.
• espagnoletteA locking device normally mounted on a pair French windows or casement window.
• esparcetcommon sainfoin (Onobrychis sativa)
• EspeletteA village and commune of Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, France.
• EsperandieuA surname from Occitan.
• espieglerieImpish or playful behaviour; mischief.
• esprit de corpsA shared spirit of comradeship, enthusiasm, and devotion to a cause among the members of a group, for example of a military unit.
• esprit fortA person of strong character.
• -esqueIn the style or manner of; appended to nouns, especially proper nouns, and forming adjectives.
• esquisseThe first sketch of a picture or model of a statue.
• essencierA type of separating funnel used to separate distilled essential oils
• estafetteA dispatch rider, especially military; a mounted courier.
• estaminetA small café or bar.
• estampageA pattern stamped on clay or other material by a press
• estampieA medieval French dance.
• estavelleA hole that may function as an ephemeral spring or a sinkhole, depending on hydrological conditions.
• estocA type of sword used from the 14th to the 17th century, characterized by a long, straight, edgeless, sharply pointed blade designed for penetrating mail or plate.
• estouffadeA Southern French stew of meat added to a base of onion, garlic, tomato, etc., fried in oil and cooked very slowly in a closed container
• estradeA dais or raised platform.
• estramaconA straight, heavy sword with two edges, used in the 16th and 17th centuries.
• estrapadeThe rearing, plunging, and kicking actions of a horse trying to get rid of its rider.
• estrepeTo commit estrepement.
• étageAny of the distinctive forms that a cloud takes relating to the altitude of its base, either "low", "middle", or "high", and designated by the respective prefixes strato-, alto-, and cirro-.
• etamineA soft cotton or worsted fabric with an open mesh.
• étapeA public storehouse.
• état de languea form of a language at any given time, seen synchronically
• etatisteA statist.
• etendueA conserved property of the light in an optical system which characterizes how "spread out" the light is in terms of angle and area: it is the product of its cross-sectional area (normal to the direction of propagation) and the solid angle it subtends.
• ethnieAn ethnic group; an ethnicity.
• ethographyThe study and recording of moral behaviour and human manners
• étoileThe leading ballet dancer in a company
• étourderieThoughtlessness, carelessness; a thoughtless act.
• étrécissementThe surrealist technique of cutting away parts of images to develop a new image.
• étrierA mountaineer's stirrup.
• étuiA small, ornamental bag or rigid container used for holding articles such as needles.
• eucalyptolA polycyclic monoterpenoid ether, obtained from eucalyptus oil, used in perfumery and in the production of pharmaceuticals etc.
• Eure-et-LoirA department of Centre-Val de Loire, France. Capital: Chartres (INSEE code 28).
• -euseForming nouns denoting female people, usually from terms ending in French -eur.
• evangilegood tidings, or evangel.
• evenementialPertaining to events, as directly experienced, as opposed to ideas about them.
• eventrationA tumour containing a large portion of the abdominal viscera, caused by relaxation of the walls of the abdomen.
• evertuateTo sap the strength of.
• evidementThe scraping-away of diseased tissue.
• évoluéA native African (especially in a European colony) who has been educated on European principles or who has adopted European attitudes etc.
• excusez-moiSynonym of excuse me.
• executantA person who executes a dance or piece of music; a performer.