Word origins

• carabineerA cavalry soldier.
• caracoleA half-turn performed by a horse and rider in dressage.
• carbineerA soldier armed with a carbine.
• carbonadea stew of meat cooked in beer
• carcajouSynonym of wolverine (a solitary, fierce member of the weasel family)
• cardecueAn old French coin worth one quarter of an écu.
• cargasonA cargo; a load of goods transported.
• caricaturesquecartoon-like
• carillonneurSynonym of carillonist.
• carioleA small, light, open one-horse carriage.
• carmagnoleA popular Red Republican song and dance, of the time of the first French Revolution.
• CarmauxA town and commune of Tarn department, Occitania, France.
• carocheA form of stately carriage or chariot
• carotteA cylindrical roll of tobacco
• caroubiercarob (tree)
• carreauA Haitian unit of land, 100 square pas: roughly 1.3 hectares or 3.2 acres.
• Carré de l'EstA French cheese made from cow milk with a smoky bacon flavour.
• carte anglaiseThe third card to be drawn by the dealer in the game of faro (after the soda and the banker's card), placed on the left of the shoe for the players.
• carte blancheUnlimited discretionary power to act; unrestricted authority.
• carte de visiteA business card
• carte soleilThe Quebec medicare card.
• carto-Forms terms relating to maps.
• cartonnageThe papyrus used to wrap mummies in ancient Egypt.
• carton-pierrePapier-mâché that has been made to resemble wood, stone, or metal, used as decoration.
• carveneA variety of limonene, C₁₀H₁₆, extracted from caraway.
• casaquinA kind of short gown associated with French working-class or peasant women.
• casemateA bombproof chamber, usually of masonry, in which cannons may be placed, to be fired through embrasures; or one capable of being used as a magazine, or for quartering troops.
• casernA lodging for soldiers in a garrison town (formerly usually near the rampart); a barracks.
• casse-crouteA greasy spoon, a hole-in-the-wall, a small restaurant
• casseroladeA form of protest in which people create noise with pots and pans.
• cassoleA roughly conical earthenware vessel, glazed inside, used in cooking.
• cassoletteA box or vase with a perforated cover to emit perfumes.
• cassonaderaw unrefined cane sugar
• CastelbiagueA village in Haute-Garonne department, France.
• CastelnaudaryA commune in Aude department, Occitania, France.
• castles in SpainSynonym of castle in the air.
• casuistA person who resolves cases of conscience or moral duty.
• catadupeWaterfall; cataract.
• catafalqueA platform used to display or convey a coffin during a funeral, often ornate.
• CatalabutteA character in the ballet The Sleeping Beauty
• catalogue raisonnéA complete index, usually with descriptions and reproductions, of a body of work, such as all the creations of a single artist.
• cataphileA type of urban explorer who visits the ancient catacombs and quarries linked by tunnels beneath Paris, France.
• CatelleA surname from French.
• cathiodermieA form of electrotherapy supposed to revitalize the skin.
• cat's eyeA retroreflective device placed on a road surface as a marking that can be seen even at night.
• cauchemarA demon or witch in French folklore that drains a sleeping person's energy by night.
• caulicoleSynonym of cauliculus.
• cauriA former monetary subdivision, equivalent to one hundredth of a Guinean syli.
• causerieAn informal conversation, or casual short written article, especially on a serious topic.
• causeuseA sofa for two people; a love seat or tête-à-tête.
• cauterA hot iron for searing or cauterizing.
• cavagnoleA game of chance similar to roulette, played for low stakes on a board on which the numbers 1 to 70 are marked.
• Cavalaire-sur-MerA commune and town in Var department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, France.
• cavessonA part of a horse's bridle that consists of a headstall with a noseband. When a martingale is used, it is attached to the horse's head at the cavesson.
• CazavetA village in Ariège department, France.
• CazeauA surname from French.
• cédilleA cedilla.
• CedotalA surname from French.
• cégepA publicly funded school that combines grade 12 with either college or freshman year of university, depending on the programme. It can be a public-sector school or a private school with some public funding, though those with "CEGEP" in the name are usually public-sector. In Québec's system, it is a required step between secondary school (ending in grade 11) and university (starting in sophomore year).
• ceinture fléchéeA colourful woolen sash traditionally worn by Quebecers, Acadians and Métis.
• celadoniteA blueish-green form of mica.
• CéléA river in south-western France that flows for about 104.4 km (64.9 mi) through the Cantal and Lot departments into the River Lot at Bouziès.
• celerifereA supposed early wooden form of the bicycle, without pedals, gears or steering; later determined to be a hoax.
• celeripedeAn early form of the bicycle, consisting of two wheels of equal diameter attached by a wooden bar and lacking either pedals or a means of steering.
• céleri rémouladeA traditional French salad associating celeriac with rémoulade
• celeritousSwift, speedy, fast.
• cenesthopathyDisordered cenesthesia; a psychopathological symptom characterised by generalised abnormal sensations in the body.
• censiveRelating to censive tenure; held in return for the payment of a cens (a feudal rent).
• centareA measure of area: one hundredth of an are, or one square meter.
• centi-one-hundredth
• centigramAn SI unit of mass equal to 10⁻² grams. Symbol: cg
• centilitreA unit of volume or capacity of one hundredth of a litre. Symbol: cl
• centimeA former subunit of currency equal to one-hundredth of the franc.
• centisecondAn SI unit of time equal to 10⁻² seconds. Symbol: cs
• centistereA unit equal to one hundredth of a stere.
• Centre-du-QuébecA region of Quebec, Canada.
• cépageA variety of grape.
• -cephalyhead
• cerementA burial shroud or garment.
• CéretA small town in Pyrénées-Orientales department, Occitania, known for a number of artists who worked there in the early 20th century.
• ceruseSynonym of white lead, a hydrate of lead mixed with carbonate, particularly as used to whiten skin or in early medicine.
• cervelliereA metal skullcap.
• c'est la vieAn expression of acceptance of misfortune in life; that's life; such is life; so it goes
• ceterachA fern of species Asplenium ceterach.
• chabaziteAny of several zeolite minerals that occur in basaltic rocks.
• chabretteA kind of French bagpipe.
• chacun à son goûtUsed to acknowledge that different people have different tastes or preferences.
• chadon beniCulantro (Eryngium foetidum), a tropical herb whose leaves are used medicinally and in Caribbean cuisine.
• chaîne opératoireThe technical processes and social acts involved in the production, use, and eventual disposal of artifacts; used to guide step-by-step analysis.
• chainonA secondary range of mountains.
• chaise longueA reclining chair with a long seat, which can support the outstretched legs of a sitter normally with one armrest.
• chaise loungeSynonym of chaise longue.
• ChalabreA town and commune of Aude department, Occitania, France.
• chalcanthumCopper(II) sulfate (CuSO₄).
• chaloupeA launch (type of boat).
• chalumeauA woodwind instrument which was the predecessor of the clarinet.
• chamadeA signal sounded on a drum or trumpet inviting a parley.
• ChambéryA city and prefecture, the capital of Savoie department, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
• chambranleIn architecture, the case or frame used on three sides around a chamber door, large window, or fireplace mantel, and the border decorations.
• chambréOf wine: brought to room temperature for the room in which it is to be served.