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FRENCH WORD OF THE DAY

French phrase of the Day: Monstre sacré

Don't worry, this type of monster is unlikely to be hiding under your bed.

French phrase of the Day: Monstre sacré
Photo: Annie Spratt/Unsplash/Nicolas Raymond

Why do I need to know monstre sacré?

Because it’s a widely used phrase in France, especially during times of great public emotion.

What does it mean?

You might expect this to mean ‘sacred monster’ and it’s true that un monstre is a monster and sacré generally translates as sacred, but taken together as a phrase it has a very different meaning.

Someone who is given the title of un monstre sacré is a public figure who is striking, unusual or cherished. In English you might call them a superstar, an icon or a national treasure.

If you have been following the news coverage of the death of French screen superstar Jean-Paul Belmondo you are likely to have seen this phrase used a lot to describe his iconic status.

Although sacred or holy is the primary meaning of sacré it has other uses including to be ‘crowned a winner’ often in a sporting sense, and it can also be used to add emphasis to what you are saying – click here for alternative uses of sacré.

Use it like this

L’acteur Jean-Paul Belmondo était un vrai monstre sacré du cinéma français – The actor Jean-Paul Belmondo was a true icon of French cinema

Il n’est pas très connu en France, mais il est un monstre sacré en Angleterre – He’s not very well-known in France, but he is a national treasure in England

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FRENCH WORD OF THE DAY

French Expression of the Day: Chasse aux sorcières

This French expression came up a lot during the Middle Ages, and it's still used today.

French Expression of the Day: Chasse aux sorcières

Why do I need to know chasse aux sorcières?

Because you might see this expression pop up during a celebrity scandal.

What does it mean?

Chasse aux sorcières – roughly pronounced shass oh sore-see-air – translates as ‘witch hunt’.

You might have heard la chasse used in its more common context to mean hunting, although it’s also used in a military context – un avion de chasse is a fighter jet.

The expression ‘witch hunt’ is used in the same way as its English counterpart. Officially, it refers to the historic pursuit and persecution of people believed to have been practising witchcraft.

Over time, it has come to refer to the deliberate, large-scale harassment of someone with unpopular views.

In France, as in the UK and the US, celebrities or public figures may say they are the victims of a chasse aux sorcières, often after being accused of inappropriate behaviour or after making controversial commentary.

Use it like this

La célébrité accusée de harcèlement a déclaré que les accusations étaient fausses. Il a parlé d’une chasse aux sorcières. – The celebrity accused of harassment said the charges were false. He blamed it on a witch hunt.

Plusieurs milliers de femmes ont été brûlées lors de chasses aux sorcières. – Several thousand women were burned due to witch hunts.

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