This List of French words of Germanic origin is a dictionary of Standard Modern French words and phrases deriving from any Germanic language of any period, whether incorporated in the formation of the French language or borrowed at any time thereafter.
Scope of the dictionary The following list details words, affixes and phrases that contain Germanic etymons. Words where only an affix is Germanic (e.g. méfait, bouillard, carnavalesque) are excluded, as are words borrowed from a Germanic language where the origin is other than Germanic (for instance, cabaret is from Dutch, but the Dutch word is ultimately from Latin/Greek, so it is omitted). Likewise, words which have been calqued from a Germanic tongue (e.g. pardonner, bienvenue, entreprendre, toujours, compagnon, plupart, manuscrit, manoeuvre), or which received their usage or sense (i.e. were created, modified or influenced) due to Germanic speakers or Germanic linguistic habits (e.g. comté, avec, commun, on, panne, avoir, ça) are not included.
Many other Germanic words found in older versions of French, such as Old French and Anglo-French are no longer extant in Standard Modern French. Many of these words do, however, continue to survive dialectally and in English. See: List of English Latinates of Germanic origin.
Dictionary
H hache "hachet" hachette hachereau hacher hachoir hachure hachis hachure "hatching" hagard "haggard, wild" haie "hedge" haillon "rag, tatters" haine "hatred" haineux haïr "to hate" haine haïssable haire "hair-shirt" halbran (Zoo.) "duckling" halbrené hâle "swarthy, sunburnt" haler "to haul" halage haleur halin hâler "to dry up, to sunburn" hâle hâloir halle "market" hallage hallebarde "halberd" hallebardier hallier "thicket" ( < ML hasla < *Frk hasal < Gmc, cf OHG hasala, MDu hasel) halte "halt" halt hameau "hamlet" hampe "handle, staff" hanap "goblet" hanche "hip, haunch" déhanché éhanché hanbane "henbane" hangar "shed, hangar" ( < MFr hanghart < Frk *haimgard < haim "home" < Gmc, cf OE hām + gard "protection, shelter, yard" < Gmc, cf OE ġeard) hanneton "beetle" Hanse "the Hanse" Hanséatique hanter "to frequent, haunt" hantise happe "bed of an axle-tree" happe-chair happe-foie happe-lapin happer "to snap" haquenée "hackney, nag" haquet "a dray" haquetier harangue "harangue" haranguer haras "stud" ( < haraz < ON hārr < Gmc) harasser "to harass" ( < MFr harasser < OFr harrier "to harry" & harer < Frk *hara "here!" < Gmc, cf OHG hera, MDu hare) harceler "to harass, torment" hard "hardware" hardeau hardelée harde "herd" harder déharder harde "leash" hardes "clothes" ( < harde < Gmc, infl in meaning by unrelated fardes) hardi "bold" hardiesse enhardir hardiment hardiesse "boldness" hareng "herring" harengère harengerie hargne "aggressive" ( < OFr hargner < Frk *harmjan "to insult, harm" < Gmc, cf OHG harmjan to scold, quarrel", OE hearm "harm") hargner hargneux haricot "bean" haridelle "jade, harridan" ( < haras " < Gmc + -idelle) harnacher "to harness" enharnacher harnais "harness" ( < OFr harneis, hernais < ON hernest "army supplies" < herr "army" < Gmc + nest "provisions" < Gmc, cf OE here "army") harnacher haro "hue and cry" harpe "harp" harpiste harper "to grip" ( < Frk *harpan "to seize" < Gmc, cf OHG harfan "to seize", OE hreppan "to touch", ON harpa "cramp") harpe harpon harpin harpigner harpon "harpoon" harponner harponneur hart "cord, rope" harde hase "female hare" hast "staff" ( < OFr haste "lance, roasting spit" < Lat hasta < Frk *harst "grill" < Gmc, cf OHG harst "roast", Dut harsten "to roast") hâtelet hâtelettes hâtereau hâtrier hâteur hâte "haste" hâter hâtif hâtier "spit-rest" hâtif "hasty, forward" hâtiveté hâtiveau hauban (Naut.) "stay, shroud" haubaner haubert "hauberk" ( < OFr hauberc, halberc < Frk *halsberg < Gmc, cf MHG halsberc) haubergeon haut "high" ( < OFr haut, halt conflation of Lat altus and Frk *hauh < Gmc, cf OE hēah "high") hautain hautesse hauteur hautain "haughty" hautbois "hautbois" hautesse (title) "highness" hauteur "height, haughtiness" hâve "pale, wan" ( < Frk *haswa- "pale, grey" < Gmc, cf MHG heswe "pallid", OE hasu, haswa "grey, ashen") havir haver "to cut" ( < Dial Fr (Walloon) < Frk *hauwan "to cut"; *hauwa "hoe, cutting implement" < Gmc, cf OHG houwen "to cut, hew", OE hēawan "to cut, hew") averon "wild oats" ( < OHG habaro < Gmc) havre "harbour" havresac "knapsack" ( < havre-sac "oat-bag" < Germ Habersack < Gmc) heaume "helm" héberger "to harbour, lodge" héberge hébergement hébergeur héler "to hail" ( < ME heilen "to hail" < ON heill "health" < Gmc) hellequin "will-o-the-wisp" héraldique "heraldic" héraut "herald" hère "fellow, wretch" ( < Germ Herr or Dut heer < Gmc, cf OE hearra "lord") hère "young stag" ( < Dut hert < Gmc, cf Eng hart) hermine "ermine" ( < OFr hermine < Frk *harmo, harmin- "ermine, weasel" < Gmc, cf OHG harmo, harmin "weasel, ermine, stoat", OS harmo, OE hearma"ermine") herminé héron "heron" héronneau héronnier héronnière hêtre "beech-tree" heurter "to strike" ( < OFr hurter "to knock into" < Frk *hūrtan "to ram into" < *hūrt < Gmc, cf MHG hurten "to collide with, run into", ON hrūtr "ram") heurt heurtoir heurtement s'aheurter hie "a tamper, a paviour's ram" hisser "to hoist" hobereau (Zoo.) "a hobby falcon" hochqueue (Zoo.) "a wagtail" hocher "to shake" hoche hochet hochet "a child's rattle" homard "lobster" honnir "to dishonour" honte "shame" honteux éhonté honteux "ashamed" hoque "small coat" hoquet "hiccup" hotte "basket" houblon "hop" houblonner houblonnière houe "hoe" houille "coal" ( < Walloon hoie < Lat hullae < Frk *hukila "heap, mound" < hukk- < Gmc, cf Dut Dial heukel, MDu hokke, Germ Hocke) houiller houilleur houillère houle "billow" ( < Norm houle "cavity, rabbit hole" < ON hol "hole" < Gmc, cf OE hol "cave") houleux houle "brothel" ( < OHG holi "hole" < Gmc, infl by OFr hore "whore" < Gmc) houlière houlette "trowel, crook" ( < MFr hollette "shepherd's staff" < houler "to throw" < Frk *hollan < Gmc, cf MDu hollen "to run headlong") houppe (Zoo.) "a tuft, topknot" houppelande "overcoat" hourder "to roughcast" houseau "spatterdash" houspiller "to nag, worry, mob" ( < Norm gouspiller < a Gmc compound represented by OE hosp "injury, insult" + OE spillan "to waste, destroy", cf OE ūtspillan "to abuse, mistreat") housse "horse-cloth, housing" houssine "a switch" houssoir "a birch-broom" houx (Bot.) "holm oak, holly tree" hoyau "pickaxe, mattock" huche "bin" ( < OFr huche, huge < LL hutica < Gmc, cf OE hwicce "hutch") hucher "to whistle" ( < OFr huchier "to cry, shout" < LL huccare < Gmc *hukk-, cf MDu huuc "a shout") huchet hucher "to perch" ( < Frk *hūkōn "to squat" < Gmc, cf MHG hūcken, Dut huiken, Germ hocken "to squat") huchet "hunting-horn" huguenot "huguenot" ( < Swiss Germ Eidgenosse < Eid < OHG eit "oath" < Gmc + Genosse < OHG ginōz "comrade" < Gmc, cf OE āþ "oath", OE ġenēat "comrade, companion") huguenotisme hune (Naut.) "top" hunier huppe (Zoo.) "tuft, crest" ( < LL upupa < Gmc, cf ODu hoppe, huppe, LG huppup) huppé huppé "crested" hure "head" hurluberlu "a fool" hutin "sharp" hutte "hut" hutter huve "a type of old-fashioned haistyle"
I ice-boat ice-cream ice-field iceberg "iceberg" if (Bot.) "yew" ( < OFr iv, ivo < Frk *îwa < Gmc īwo-, īwa-, cf OHG īwa, OE īw "yew") inlay "inlay" input (Tech.) "input" insaissable "imperceptible" insaissablilité installer "to install" ( < MFr < ML installare < in- + stallum < Gmc, cf OE steall "place, stall") installation installé installeur interbancaire "interbank" interbande "space between bands" intergroupe intergroupal intra-groupe ive (Bot.) "yew" ivette interlope "an interloper" ( < Eng interlope < interloper < inter- + loper < MDu lōper "runner" < lōpen "to run" < Gmc, cf OE hlēapan "to leap, run")
J jable "cross-groove, gable" jabler japper "to yelp, bark" (< OFr japer, OPr jaupar < Gmc *galpōn "to yelp, bark, scream") jappe jappement jardin "garden" ( < OFr < Frk *gardo, gardin- "yard" < Gmc, cf OE ġeard "yard") jardiner jardinier jardinage jardinet jars "male goose, gander" ( < Frk *gard "spine, rod, pivot" < Gmc) jaser "to chatter, prattle" ( < ON gassi "prattler" < Gmc) jaseur jaserie jauger "to gauge" ( < OFr jauge, gauge < Frk *galga, galgo "measuring rod, pole" < Gmc, cf OE gealga "gallows") jauge jaugeage javeline "javelin" javelot "a javelin" job "job" jockey "jockey" joli "pretty" joliet enjoliver joliveté joliment jucher "to perch, roost" juchoir déjucher
K K.O. "K.O., knockout" kart "go-cart" karting "carting" keepsake "keepsake, souvenir" kermesse "kirk-mass" ( < Flem kerkmisse) kick kick-starter kidnapper "to kidnap" kidnappage kidnappeur kidnappeuse kidnapping kieselguhr king-charles kirsch-wasser (also kirschwasser) "kirsch-wasser" ( < Germ < Gmc) kit kitsch knickerbockers knickers knock-down knock-out knock-outer knout knouter kobold "cobalt" krach krack kraft kraken "kraken" kriegspiel
L laîche "sedge" laid "ugly" laideron laideur enlaidir laie "a female pig, sow" laie "path" ( < ML leda < Frk *laid- < Gmc, cf ON leid "way, lode", OE lād "course, path") laisse laisses laisser "to leave, let" ( OFr lesser, laisier < LL lassare "to let, let go, leave", partly from L laxare "to loosen"; partly from OHG lāzzan, lāzan "to let, let go, leave"; cf OE lǣtan "to let, leave, rent"; also from OFr laiier "to leave" < Frk *lagjan "to lay") laisse laissé-courre laissé-pour-compte laissées laisser-aller laisser-courir laisser-courre laisser-faire laisser-passer laisses laissez-aller laissez-faire laissez-passer lamaneur "pilot" ( < OFr laman, lomant < MDu lootsman < Gmc) lambeau "scrap" lambel "scrap, shred" lambourde "tie bar, joist" lambrequin (Archit.) "a scallop" lampas "lampas" lamper "to guzzle" lampée lande "waste land, heath" lansquenet "lansquenet" ( < Germ Landsknecht "lands-knight" < Gmc) laper "to lap" lapereau "bunny rabbit" ( < lapriel < lap-, probably of Gmc origin, cf Frk *hlaupan "to run, jump", OE hlēapan "to leap, jump, run") lapin "rabbit" last "a last, weight" latte "lath" latter lattis layer "to mark wood, bush-hammer" layeur layette "thin layer, baby linen" layetier lèche "thin slice" lèchefrite lécher "to lick" léchard lécheur léchonner léchefroie lège (Naut.) "light in weight or occupancy" lest "ballast" lester leste "brisk" lester "to ballast" lesteur lestage let (tennis term < Eng let < Gmc) Lètes "Laeti" leude "a leud" leurre "a lure, decoy" leurrer lice "lists, tiltyard" lie "dregs, lye of wine" lige "liege" lingot "ingot" lingotière lippe "lip, pout" lippée lippu lippée "a mouthful, a meal" lippu "thick-lipped" liseré "edging, bordering, trim" lisière "edge" liseré liste "list" lisière listeau liteau liston listel listeau "blue strap" liteau liston "scroll" liteau "a blue stripe" litre "a black band" living "living room, sitting room, parlour" ( < Eng < Gmc) loch "a ship's log" locher "to be loose" locman "a harbour pilot" lof "luff" loge "lodge, lobby" loger logis logement logette logeable loger "to lodge" logeur déloger logis "a dwelling" lombes "loins" ( < Lat lumbus < Gmc *lundiz, landwin-, cf ON, lund, Frk *lendin "loins", OHG lentin, OE lendenu "loins" ) lombaire lopin "bit, piece" loque "rag" loquet "locket" lorgner "to ogle" lorgnon lorgnette lorgneur losange "lozenge" ( < OFr losenge < Frk *lausinga "flattery, fraud" < Gmc, cf OE lēasung "leasing") lot "lot, portion" lotir loterie loterie "lottery" lotir "to lot, apportion" loti lotissement loto "loto" louche "large spoon" louchet "grafting tool" louis (Monet.) "a louis" loup-garou "werewolf" loupe "magnifier, magnifying glass" loure "a loure (dance)" loutre "otter" louvoyer "to tack" lover "to coil" lubie "whim" lucarne lumbago "lumbago" luron "jolly fellow" luronne lutin "a little one, elf, goblin" lutiner
M mâche "mash" ( < Gmc *maisk, cf Germ Maisch, OE māx "mash") mâcher "to beat, strike, smash" ( < Gmc, cf Germ matschen "to crush, smash") mâcheur mâchurer "to blacken" macle (Bot.) "caltrop" macle (Min.) "macle; twin" macler "to twin" maçon "mason" maçonner