French Word of the Day: abracadabrantesque
Today's word of the day looks as strange as it sounds and while it's not one that's commonly found in dictionaries it will certainly give your French a touch of whimsy. We challenge you to use this French word everyday from now on.
Why do I need to know abracadabrantesque?
Most of the time spent learning a language is dedicated to learning the essentials but this word is all about having some fun with French.
So, what does it mean?
Abracadabrantesque means 'preposterous', 'lacking credibility', 'ludicrous' and 'unbelievable'.
It might not surprise you to find out that it's an adaptation of the word 'abracadabra' which means the same in French as it does in English and it is also an extended version of the more common French word abracadabrant which means 'bizarre', 'weird', 'startling', 'confounding' and 'bewildering'.
Origin
The invention of abracadabrantesque has been attributed to French poet Arthur Rimbaud however some sources say it was first seen in a novel called Les Vagabonds by French writer Mario Proth in 1865.
Nevertheless it's former French president Jacques Chirac who is credited with popularising the word after using it in a TV interview in 2000.
Examples of how to use it
Le résultat final est abracadabrantesque. - The final result is preposterous.
Devant la cour, l'accusé a inventé une histoire abracadabrantesque. - The accused made up a ludicrous story in the court.
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Why do I need to know abracadabrantesque?
Most of the time spent learning a language is dedicated to learning the essentials but this word is all about having some fun with French.
So, what does it mean?
Abracadabrantesque means 'preposterous', 'lacking credibility', 'ludicrous' and 'unbelievable'.
It might not surprise you to find out that it's an adaptation of the word 'abracadabra' which means the same in French as it does in English and it is also an extended version of the more common French word abracadabrant which means 'bizarre', 'weird', 'startling', 'confounding' and 'bewildering'.
Origin
The invention of abracadabrantesque has been attributed to French poet Arthur Rimbaud however some sources say it was first seen in a novel called Les Vagabonds by French writer Mario Proth in 1865.
Nevertheless it's former French president Jacques Chirac who is credited with popularising the word after using it in a TV interview in 2000.
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