User:Mglovesfun/list of English words of French origin/n-z
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N[edit]
- nacelle
- nacre
- naiant
- naïve
- naivete
- naivety
- nanometre
- nanosecond
- nanotechnology
- narcolepsy
- narcotic
- nard
- narghile
- narration
- narrative
- nasal
- natality
- nation, Old French nacion, from Latin natio(n-), compare modern French nation
- national
- nationalisation
- nationalise
- nationalism
- nationalist
- native
- nativity
- natron
- natural, Old French naturel
- naturalisation
- naturalise
- naturalism
- naturalist
- nature, Old French nature
- naturism
- nautical, Middle French nautique
- naval, Old French naval
- navarin
- navigable
- navigation
- navy, Old French navie
- neat, Anglo-Norman neit, from Old French net, compare modern French net
- nebulous
- nebuly
- nécessaire
- necessary
- necessity
- necromancy, Old French nigromancie, spelling changed in the 16c. to conform with its Latin etymology necromantia, compare modern French nécromancie
- née or nee, feminine past participle of naître to be born
- negation
- negative
- negatory
- negligee
- negligence
- negligent
- negligible
- negotiation
- negritude
- neologism
- nephew
- nepotism
- nervure
- neutral
- neutralisation
- neutralise
- neutrality
- neve
- newel
- Nez Perce
- nice (Old French nice)
- nicety
- niche
- nicotine
- niece
- nitrate
- nitre
- nitrogen
- nobility
- noble
- noblesse oblige
- nocturnal
- nocturne
- Noel
- noise (Old French noise)
- nomad
- nom de guerre
- nom de plume
- nominalism
- nominative
- nonage
- nonchalance
- nonchalant
- nonpareil
- noose
- Nordic
- norm
- Norman
- Normandy
- normative
- notable
- notary
- note
- notice
- notification
- notify
- notoriety
- nougat
- noun
- nourish
- nourishment
- nouveau riche
- nouveau roman
- nouveau
- nouvelle cuisine
- nouvelle vague
- novel
- novelty
- November
- novice (Old French novice)
- novitiate
- nuance
- nubile
- nudism
- nuisance
- null
- nullity (French nullité)
- number (Old French nombre)
- numeral
- numeric
- numismatic
- nurse
- nursery
- nurture
- nutmeg
- nutrition (French nutrition)
- nutritive
- nymph (Old French nimphe)
O[edit]
- oboe (via Italian), from French hautbois
- ocean, from Old French occean
- œuvre
- offend
- offense (French offense)
- office
- officer (Old French officier)
- official
- ogive (French ogive)
- ogre
- oil (Old French oile)
- ointment (Old French oignement)
- olive
- omelette, from omelette
- omission
- omnibus
- opacity
- opal
- operation
- opinion (Old French opinion)
- opportune
- opportunism (French opportunisme)
- opportunity
- oppose (Old French opposer)
- opposite
- opposition (Old French opposicion)
- oppress (Old French oppresser)
- optative (French optatif)
- optician
- optimism (French optimisme)
- option
- oracle (Old French oracle)
- orange (Old French orenge)
- ordain (Old French ordener)
- order (Old French ordre)
- organic
- organism
- organise
- orgy
- origin
- original
- ormolu
- ornament
- ornithopter
- orpine
- orthography, from Old French, compare modern French orthographe
- oubliette
P[edit]
- pair
- palace (Old French palais)
- palm (Old French palme)
- panache
- pansy (French pensée)
- pant (Old French pantaisier)
- pantaloon (French pantalon)
- panther (Old French pantere)
- papier mâché
- parade
- paragon
- parent
- parentage
- parfait
- parley
- parliament
- part (Old French part)
- partial (Old French parcial, compare modern French partiel or partial, the later being a synonym of biased)
- partisan
- partition
- pass (Old French passer)
- passion
- passé
- passive
- passport
- paste
- pastel
- pastiche
- pastille
- pastor
- pasture
- pasturage
- pasty
- pastry
- patch
- pâté
- patent
- paternity
- pathetic
- pathology
- patience (Old French pacience)
- patient
- patisserie
- pause (Old French pause)
- pawn (Old French pan, pant)
- peace (Old French pais)
- peach
- pear
- pell-mell (Old French pesle mesle)
- pelt (Old French pelete)
- pen (Old French penne)
- penal
- pencil
- pension
- pensive
- penthouse (Old French apentis)
- people (Old French pueple)
- perchance
- perceiver
- perch (Old French perche)
- perdition
- perfect
- perfection
- perfume, from Middle French, parfum
- person (Old French persone)
- petty (Old French petit)
- petulant, compare pétulant
- phial
- philanthropic (French philanthropique)
- philately (French philatélie)
- philharmonic
- philosophy (Old French filosofie)
- philtre (French philtre)
- physics (French physique)
- phantom (French fantôme)
- phlebotomy
- phlegm
- piece (Old French piece)
- pied à terre
- piety (Old French pieté)
- pigeon
- pipette
- piquant
- piqué
- pirouette
- piss (Old French pisser)
- pistol
- pistole
- plain (Old French plain)
- plaque
- plastic (French plastique)
- plat du jour
- plate
- plateau
- platform (French plateforme)
- platoon (French peloton)
- platter
- plebiscite (French plébiscite)
- plea (Old French plait)
- please (French plaire)
- pleasant (Old French plaisant)
- pleasantry (Old French plaisanterie)
- pleasure (Old French plesir, modern French plaisir)
- plead
- pledge (Old French plege)
- plié
- plumage
- plumb
- plumber (Old French plommier)
- plume, nom de plume
- plural (Old French pluriel)
- plurality
- plus ça change
- plush
- pneumatic
- poach, as in cookery, from Old French, compare modern French pocher
- poem (French poème)
- poesy (Old French poesie)
- poetic (French poétique)
- policy, from police (as a contract)
- poor (Old French poure, compare poverty)
- populace (French populace)
- popular
- pork
- porous
- porpoise
- port (Old French port)
- portage
- porter
- portion
- portmanteau
- pose, compare poser
- position (Old French position)
- positive (Old French positif)
- posology
- possess (Old French possesser, modern French posséder)
- possibility
- possible (French possible)
- post, compare poste
- poultry
- poutine
- poverty (Old French poverté, compare poor)
- power (Old French poeir)
- practical (Old French practique)
- practise
- precious
- pregnant
- prejudice
- premier (French = first)
- premiere (French première)
- prepare
- prerogative
- presence
- present
- president
- prêt-à-porter
- pretend
- pretense
- price (Old French pris)
- prince (Old French prince)
- princess
- principal
- principality (Old French principalité)
- principle
- prison (Old French prisoun)
- prize compare price
- proof (Old French proeve)
- pronoun (French pronom)
- pronounce
- pronunciation
- proper (Old French propre)
- property
- prophecy (Old French profecie)
- prophesy
- proportion (Old French proportion)
- propose, from proposer
- proposition (Old French proposition)
- prorogue
- prosaic
- prose (Old French prose)
- prosecution
- protection (Old French protection)
- protein
- protestation
- protocol (Old French prothocole)
- proud (Old French preu feminine preude)
- province (Old French province)
- prude, see proud
- pulley
- punish (Old French puniss-)
- pure (Old French pur)
- purify (Old French purifier)
- purpose (Old French porpos)
- putty (French potée)
Q[edit]
- qualify
- quality
- quantity
- quarter
- quartet
- quartier
- quatrain
- quatrefoil
- quay
- Québécois
- quest
- question
- questionnaire
- queue
- quiche
- quiet
- quilt
- quintessence
- quintuple
- quit
- quittance
- quotidian
R[edit]
- rabble (French râble)
- raconteur
- rage (Old French raige)
- raison d'être
- rare (Old French rere)
- rarefy
- rarity
- ratatouille
- rate
- ration
- rave
- real (Old French reel)
- realm
- reason (Old French raison)
- reasonable
- rebound
- receipt, from reçu, récépissé
- receive (Old French reçoivre, modern French recevoir)
- reception
- receptor
- recitation
- recite
- record
- reclaim
- recognize
- recognizance
- recoil
- recollection
- Récollet
- reconnoitre, compare reconnaître
- record
- recorder (Old French recordeor)
- recover
- recovery
- recreation
- recruit
- rector
- rectory
- regret, from Old French, compare modern French regretter
- reign, from regner
- remain (Old French remaindre)
- remark
- remarkable
- rendezvous
- reservoir
- responsible
- rest, from reste ("remainder, part that is left")
- restaurant
- restaurateur
- resume
- résumé
- revenue
- riposte
- risqué
- rock ("stone", Old French roche)
- role (French rôle, compare roll)
- roll (Old French rolle)
- Roman
- romantic
- rotisserie
- rouge
- roué
- roulette
- round
- roundel
- rouse
- rout (Old French rote)
- route
- routine
- roux
- royal (Old French roial)
- royalty
- rubble
- rubric
- rush (Old French ruser)
- ruse
- russet
- rut
S[edit]
- sabot
- sabotage
- saboteur
- sachet
- sacrament, compare sacrement
- Saint Louis (named for Louis IX)
- salon
- saloon, compare salon
- sample (Old French essample)
- satin
- sauce (Old French sauce)
- sauté
- savage (Old French sauvage)
- savant
- savate
- save (Anglo-Norman sauver, Old French salver)
- savoir faire
- scepter
- scholar
- science
- screw (Old French escroue)
- seal (Old French seel)
- séance
- search (Old French cerchier)
- season (Old French saison)
- second (Old French second)
- sensitive
- sentence (Old French sentence)
- sentiment (Old French sentement)
- sentinel
- sepal
- separable
- separation
- septillion (from sept seven)
- sepulchre
- sepulchral
- sequester
- serf (Old French serf)
- sergeant or serjeant, from Old French, compare modern French sergent
- servant
- several (from Old French several via Anglo-Norman several)
- sex
- similar (French similaire)
- simple (Old French simple)
- skirmish (from escarmouche)
- slice (Old French esclis)
- slot (Old French esclot)
- snye
- sober (Old French sobre)
- sobriety (from sobriété)
- sobriquet
- sociable (French sociable)
- social (French social)
- socialism (French socialisme)
- society (French société)
- socket
- soil (Old French soil)
- soiree (French soirée)
- sojourn (Old French sojorn)
- solder
- sole
- solemnize
- solicit (Old French solliciter)
- solicitor (Old French solliciteur)
- solid
- solidarity (French solidarité)
- soldier
- sombre (French sombre)
- sort (Old French sorte)
- soufflé
- sound (Old French son)
- soupçon
- sovereign (from souverain)
- sovereignist (French souverainiste)
- special
- spirit (Old French esprit)
- stage (Old French estage)
- state (Old French estat, modern French état)
- stay
- stereotype
- story (Old French estorie)
- stray
- stress (Old French estresse)
- structure (Old French structure)
- study (Old French estude, modern French étude)
- stuff (Old French estoffe, modern French étoffe)
- stupid (from stupide)
- sturgeon, from esturgeon
- subject, from sujet
- subtle (from subtile)
- subtlety(from subtilité)
- succession
- successor
- succumb (from succomber)
- succour
- suffer (from souffrir)
- sufficient
- suit, from Old French seoir
- suitor
- superior
- superlative
- support (Old French supporter)
- suppose (Old French supposer)
- sure (Old French sur, seur)
- surety (Old French seurté)
- surface
- surgeon (from chirurgien)
- surgery (from chirurgie)
- surgical (from chirurgical)
- surmise
- surmount
- surname (Old French surnom)
- surpass
- surplus
- surprise
- surrender (Old French surrendre)
- surrealism (French surréalisme)
- suspend
- suspense (French suspens)
- suspension
- sustain
- system
T[edit]
- tablature
- table
- tableau
- tablet
- tailor (Old French tailleor)
- talc
- tally
- talon
- tambour
- tamp
- tampon
- tapestry
- tapis
- target
- tariff (French tarif)
- tarot
- tarnish (French ternir)
- Tartar (Old French Tartare)
- tart, as in cookery, compare tarte
- task (from Old French tasche via Norman French tasque)
- taste (Old French tast)
- taupe
- tax (Old French taxer)
- taximeter (French taximètre)
- teat (Old French tete)
- telegraph (French télégraphe)
- temporal (Old French temporel)
- temporize
- tempt (Old French tempter)
- tenant
- tench (Old French tenche)
- tend (Old French tend)
- tender
- tendon (French tendon)
- tennis (Old French tenez, to start the game)
- tent
- terrace, from terrasse
- terrible
- terror (Old French terreur)
- terrorism (French terrorisme, first used during French Revolution)
- theatre
- theology (Old French theologie)
- theorem (French théorème)
- therapeutics (French thérapeutique)
- thermal
- toilet, compare toilette
- tonne
- torrid
- tortuous
- torture
- touch (Old French touchier)
- toupée
- tout de suite or [[toot sweet]
- towel (Old French toaille)
- transfer
- transparent
- treasure
- trial
- triangle
- tribe (Old French tribu)
- tribunal
- trompe l'œil
- troop, from troupe
- troupe
- try (Old French trier)
- tuff
- tube
- tyrant (from French tyran)
U[edit]
V[edit]
- vague
- vast (French vaste, compare waste)
- veal (Old French veel)
- velcro, from velours and crochet (“hook”)
- ventre à terre
- verdigris, from vert de gris, the colour of the copper oxide
- verdict
- Vermont (from les verts monts the green mountains)
- versatile
- verse
- version
- vert
- vertical
- very (Old French verai)
- vesper
- vest
- view (Old French veue)
- victory
- vigour
- vile
- villain (Old French villain)
- village (Old French village)
- vintage
- viol (Old French viel(l)e)
- violence (Old French violence)
- violent
- virgin (Old French virgine)
- virginal
- virtue
- vis-a-vis
- visible
- viscount
- vogue
- voice
- voilà
- void
- volant
- volatile
- volley
- volte-face
- voluble
- volume (Old French volume)
- voluntary
- volunteer
- voluptuous
- volute
- voucher
- voyage (Old French voiage)
- voyeur
W[edit]
Many imported words beginning with "w" in English have cognates in French that start with a "g" or "gu". This is because the English word was not borrowed directly from French or Old French, but from other languages closely related to French, like Norman and Anglo-Norman, where the original "w" sound was preserved (the majority of these words are words of Germanic origin, and stem mainly from either the Frankish language, or other ancient Germanic languages, like Burgundian). In Old French, the initial "w" sound was prefixed by the letter "g" as "gw" and then the "w" sound was later lost. The "w" survives in orthography as "u" in "gu", but only to produce a hard "g" sound.
- wafer
- wage (Cf Old French gage)
- wager, (Cf Old French gager).
- wait, Old Northern French waitier (“to watch”) (compare modern French guetter), from Frankish *wahton
- waive, Anglo-Norman weyver, from Old French weyver, guever, probably from a Scandinavian source
- wallet
- wallop
- Walter, Old Northern French Waltier (Old French Gautier), of Germanic origin
- war, Old Northern French werre, (compare French guerre), from Frankish *werra
- warble, Old Northern French werbler, from Frankish *werbilon
- warden, Old Northern French wardein, (compare French gardien), from Frankish *warding-
- warder, Anglo-Norman wardere, from Old Northern French warder, (compare French garder (“to keep”))
- wardrobe, Old Northern French warderobe (Old French garderobe)
- warrant, Old Northern French warant (Old French guarant), from Frankish *warand
- warranty, Anglo-Norman and Old Northern French warantie (Old French guarantie)
- warren, Anglo-Norman and Old Northern French warenne (Old French garenna), possibly from Gaulish *varenna
- warrior, Old Northern French werreieor (Old French guerreor)
- waste (Old Northern French wast, Cf Modern French gâter (“to spoil, waste”)
- wicket, Old Northern French wiket (compare French guichet), from a Germanic source
- wile, Old Northern French wile (Old French guile)
- William, Old Northern French Willaume (Old French Guillaume), of Germanic origin
- wince, Old Northern French wenchier (Old French guenchir), from Frankish *wenkjan
- Wisconsin, from Ouisconsin, a French variant of a Native American word