Advertisement

Advertisement

Gallicism

or gal·li·cism

[ gal-uh-siz-uhm ]

noun

  1. a French idiom or expression used in another language, as Je ne sais quoi when used in English.
  2. a feature that is characteristic of or peculiar to the French language.
  3. a custom or trait considered to be characteristically French.


Gallicism

/ ˈɡælɪˌsɪzəm /

noun

  1. a word or idiom borrowed from French
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of Gallicism1

First recorded in 1650–60; from French gallicisme; Gallic, -ism
Discover More

Example Sentences

Boutefeu, a gallicism for incendiary: in Dryden's time it was a word of good reputation, but is now obsolete.

If any elegant scholar will translate that Gallicism for me literally, I shall feel obliged to him.

But this association proved so helpless that it could not even hinder the invasion of Gallicism in the eighteenth century.

This, translated into French, became that horrible gallicism: la btise Biche.

It is a Gallicism, but all the better, where one desires to be imperative, and yet vague.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


GalliceGallicize