Apparently, 30% of English words actually come from French. Yes, you’re using French words. This can seem surprising since the French and English have not had the most friendly history. You’d think wars and stealing lands would convince both these lands to never speak again! Anyhow, we’ve compiled a list of 10 English words that come from French. You use these words in your daily life, but you might be surprised to know some of these words actually come from the land of baguette and berets!
10 English Words That are Actually French Words
1Crochet
Yes, your grandmother’s favourite hobby comes from the French. A crochet in French is a small hook so it makes sense that they named this pastime Crochet since you use a small hooked needle to create wonderful bags, blankets, hats, etc! Next time you see your grandmother, you can tell her she knows a French word! We’re convinced she will be ecstatic to hear this!
2Dentist
You might have wondered during your yearly cleaning, while the hygienist is scrubbing your teeth until they bleed, why they call this torture chamber a dentist’s office. There are no similarities to the word tooth, gum, mouth, etc. in this word. But, dent in French means tooth! Aha! So, “dentist” is another one of the French words that the English decided to call their own. Is it just us or has the dentist’s office just gotten more exotic all of a sudden?
3Camouflage
If you hunt or love cargo, you probably own a lot of camouflage gear. But did you know that the word Camouflage actually comes from the French camouflet? A camouflet is actually a mine furnace made to destruct a neighbouring tunnel to asphyxiate its occupants. A bit intense if you ask us…But anyhow! Now you know that this word is actually French.
