sans
1 Americanpreposition
abbreviation
abbreviation
preposition
Etymology
Origin of sans
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Old French sans, earlier sens, seinz, a conflation of Latin sine “without” and absentiā “in the absence of” (ablative of absentia absence )
Explanation
If you have a friend who hates onions, chances are they order their food at restaurants sans onions — meaning without them. The word sans comes from the French word that means "without." People often use sans in a playful manner or when they want to sound fancy. For example, someone might say, "I'll take my coffee sans cream," to mean they don't want cream. It just sounds a bit more sophisticated.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Major works like “Le Marteau sans Maître,” “Pli Selon Pli,” “. . . Explosante-Fixe. . . ” and the Second Piano Sonata are naturally included, but so are lesser-known pieces.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025
All the menu items, sans tax, total to $30.12.
From Salon • Nov. 26, 2025
The Hujar transcript, recovered in 2019 sans the tape, was ultimately published as “Peter Hujar’s Day.”
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 6, 2025
Still, you’re making some smart choices sans budgeting.
From MarketWatch • Oct. 31, 2025
My sans, Davos thought, but there was no way to look for them amidst the roaring chaos.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
