rosbif

English

Etymology

French rosbif. Doublet of roast beef.

Noun

rosbif (plural rosbifs)

1. (humorous) An English person (as viewed by the French).
   • 1938, Neil Harmon Swanson, The forbidden ground (page 85)

     Polidor Graindart, sometime sergeant of the intendant's guard in the days when three golden lilies bloomed on the flagstaff above the De Troit blockhouse, never had forgiven the rosbifs for the conquest of New France.

   • 2009, Andy Roberts, Flying the Flag (page 233)

     France demonstrate the entente cordiale towards the rosbifs.

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French

Etymology

From English roast beef, stereotypical food of the English.

Compare frog (“French person”), from frog legs, corresponding English term for French, likewise based on food.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʁɔs.bif/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

rosbif m (plural rosbifs)

1. roast beef
2. (derogatory, ethnic slur) an English person

Synonyms

• (English person): buveur de thé

Antonyms

• (English person): frog (of French, by English)

Further reading

• “rosbif”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

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Italian

Etymology

From English roast beef.

Noun

rosbif m (uncountable)

1. roast beef

Anagrams

• sfibro, sfibrò

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Spanish

Etymology

From English roast beef.

Noun

rosbif m (plural rosbifs)

1. roast beef