Outdated French Words That Are No Longer in Use: Meanings and Modern Alternatives
Do you remember the poem we read in school titled ‘Ozymandius’ by PB Shelley? It emphasizes the transcience of time and how everything changes along with it. Languages too evolve over centuries thus the outdated French words which once sounded perfectly normal are now a mere memory for the native speakers today.
Hence this article will take you through the memory lane, cover these forgotten vocabulary and expressions while explaining the reason of why words fall out of fashion, and what people say instead now. Now let’s see which words to retire and which ones to use with confidence.
Outdated French Words
Some words simply stop getting used as the French vocabulary shifts constantly. A few survivors of this fashion exists only in old books, newspapers, or films, where they still carry their original vintage charm.
The other formal or quaint words are now blatantly confusing to a young French speaker. Here we have a short table of outdated French words, along with what they meant, where you would have heard them, and what people say today.
| Outdated French Word | English Translation | Historical Usage | Modern or today’s Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Un courriel | An email | Pushed by the Académie Française as the official French term for email | Un mail |
| Une vedette | A celebrity, a star | Common in newspapers and films roughly from the 1960s to the 1990s | Une célébrité / une star |
| Un croque-notes | A poor, untalented musician | Found in older dictionaries such as the Trésor de la langue française | Un mauvais musicien |
Un courriel is still technically correct French, meaning that you will spot it on official government websites. But most French speakers now say un mail in everyday conversation. Une vedette is visible often in older films and magazines, though a modern French speaker rolls out célébrité or star swiflty.
Old French Words That Are No Longer Used
Some French words have become so outdated that the Académie Française has formally eliminated them from the lexicon. One such example is the verb “monseigneuriser,” (My lord) which is no longer used by French speakers and was formerly used to honor someone with the formal title “monseigneur.”
Another extinct term is chape chute. It was a somewhat cynical little idea that never fully vanished from actual life, even though the word for it did. It expressed the good fortune that one person receives from the suffering of another. Only antique dictionaries and historical documents still contain these terms.
If you come across them when reading traditional French literature, treat them more like curiosities than as words you should use in your own speech.
French Words That Have Changed Meaning
Over the ages, some French words just changed in meaning rather than completely vanishing. This might cause confusion for students who believe that vocabulary used in older writings are the same as those used in contemporary French.
A few examples of French terms whose meaning has completely changed are displayed in the table below.
| French Words | Old Meaning | Modern Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Formidable | Scary, frightening | Great, wonderful |
| Énerver | To make something soft | To annoy, to irritate |
| Bourde | A lie | A mistake, a blunder |
| Gifle | Cheek | A slap |
| Loisir | Free time | A hobby |
| Râler | To return | To complain |
| Casser | To shake | To break |
Now you know why the word “formidable” might be used negatively in an old French text. It is solely used by modern French speakers to denote something remarkable, never threatening.
French Expressions That Have Disappeared
Not only can words disappear, but entire phrases can also become obsolete. One such example is laissez faire. It is verlan, a French slang term that is derived from laisse tomber, which means “forget it” or “let it go.” Renaud, a French musician, popularized the phrase in a 1979 song, but now hardly anyone uses it. Laisse tomber is still a popular expression.
Faire l’amour, meaning “to make love,” has likewise become less common. French speakers now often use coucher (to sleep together) instead.
RSVP from Répondez s’il vous plaît, used to sit at the bottom of formal invitations, much like in England. It’s rarely used in France now; réponse souhaitée has largely taken its place.
Comme ci, comme ça, the textbook answer to “how are you,” has also aged badly that it has almost gone extinct in the lexicon of the native speaker replacing it with the shorter, punchier ‘bof’ instead.
Grammar can quietly go out of date too. A very prominent example is Puis-je, meaning “may I,” is a genuine survivor from older French, used only when the subject and verb switch places in a question.
You might expect peux-je to work the same way, but it doesn’t exist as real French; puis-je is the only form anyone actually uses, and even that stays mostly formal, cropping up in shops and offices rather than casual chat. In everyday conversation, French speakers simply say je peux or est-ce que je peux.
Outdated French Slang
Slang ages faster than any other part of a language, and French slang from a few decades ago can sound very outdated today.
| Dated Slang | English Equivalent | Era | Modern Alternative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Une gonzesse | A woman, a girl | Common in the 1970s | Une femme / une fille |
| Un gonze | A guy, a dude (masculine of gonzesse) | Rare even in the 1970s | Un mec |
| Un/Une Ricain(e) | An American person | Peaked in the 1980s | Un Américain / une Américaine |
In the 1970s, une gonzesse was all over the place, but it’s best to stay away from it now since it has a hint of misogyny. Younger French speakers actually say “une meuf,” but its more contemporary cousin, “une nana,” is still in use but sounds a bit archaic. The 1980s saw the rise of Un/Une Ricain(e), short for Améonain(e).
Although French speakers seldom ever use it nowadays, some American expatriates in France still use it about themselves because they find it amusing and self-deprecating.
Were you aware? A lot of this old language is still used in vintage French movies. The script in the 1963 film Les Tontons Flingueurs, written by renowned screenwriter Michel Audiard, is full of slang from that time period, and French speakers who have never used the phrases in real life nevertheless quote its lines.
Why Do French Words Become Obsolete?
French is no different from any other living language in that words become obsolete for a variety of causes. As each generation changes the way it talks, language organically changes over time. Cultural change is also important . Social attitudes change and terms associated with antiquated beliefs, such as gonzesse, become awkward to use.
Another significant factor is the shift of generational slang. Every generation of young French people develops its own slang, frequently using borrowed terms or verlan, and previous slang soon becomes awkward rather than hip.
Vocabulary has also changed as a result of technology. As digital communication became more commonplace, “courriel” gave way to “unmail.” Since new words circulate and fade more quickly than ever before, modern communication particularly social media and text messaging speeds up this entire process.
It is much simpler to identify outdated French when you encounter it and to talk in a style that seems natural today when you are aware of these factors.
Conclusion
Old French words reveal a lot about the language’s evolution. If you’re reading older French literature, viewing classic French movies, or conversing with older people, it helps to understand them.
However, current French is the greatest choice for casual discussion. When you encounter these ancient terms, recognize them, but when you speak, use their contemporary equivalents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Why do French words become outdated?
Ans. French words become outdated for the same reasons as any language, numerous reasons are at a play ranging from culture shifts, technology changes, and each generation creating its own slang. Words tied to old attitudes, like gonzesse, fade because they no longer fit modern values. At La Forêt French Class, you will be enlighgtened about all these concepts while keeping your vocabulary current.
Q2. Is it wrong to use outdated French words?
Ans. It isn’t wrong per say but outdated French words can sound weird or rather unintentionally funny to native speakers. They are bound to understand you though a modern equivalent usually sounds more natural.
Q3. What’s the difference between puis-je and peux-je?
Ans. Puis-je is the correct form, it;s the formal way to say “can I” in an inverted question, and it’s a genuine grammatical fossil from older French. Peux-je isn’t used at all, French speakers find it awkward, so puis-je or the everyday ‘Est-ce que je peux’ replace it instead.
Q4. Where can I still hear old French slang today?
Ans. Old French slang survives in classic French films, songs, and older literature. Les Tontons Flingueurs and Renaud’s 1970s songs are good starting points. Watching these gives you a feel for how French sounded decades ago, even though nobody actually speaks that way now.
Q5. How can I keep my French vocabulary up to date?
Ans. Reading current French media, listening to French podcasts like RFI, TV5 MONDE and taking structured lessons all help. Courses at La Forêt on how the French people actually speak today, not just textbook grammar, so you avoid sounding stuck in a previous decade.
