FINAL CONSONANTS.
The final consonants that are sounded are b, c, f, k, l, m, q, r.
The final consonants that are not sounded in words which stand alone, or terminate a sentence, are, d, g, h, n, p, r (in the termination er only), s, t, x, z.
J and v are never final.
D is pronounced like t when joined to the following word, as in quand il parle, which must be pronounced kān-til parle.
G is pronounced like k, as in sang impur, which is pronounced sān-kin-pur.
P is pronounced only in Alep, cap, Gap, cep, jalap; and in beaucoup, trop, when those two words come before a vowel. In cep de vigne, the p is silent.
R, preceded by e, is frequently silent in conversation before a vowel, but it must always be sounded in poetry, unless it terminates the verse.
S, before a vowel, sounds like z, as in nous avons eu, which must be pronounced nou-zavōn-zu. S is sounded in aloès, bibus, blocus, chorus, choléramorbus, dervis, florès, gratis, jadis, laps, maïs, mars, orémus, ours, rébus, relaps, Reims, Rubens, sinus, en sus, vasistas, etc. It is silent in Jésus-Christ, but sounded in le Christ.
T is generally pronounced before a vowel, except when it is preceded by a sounded consonant, as in effort étonnant, pronounced é-for-éto-nan; in quatre-vingt-un it is not pronounced, but it is sounded in vingt et un. In all plural nouns, and in the conjunction et; also before a vowel in fort, adjective, it is silent, but it is sounded in fort, adverb. Final t is also sounded in brut, déficit, dot, mat, exact, fat, infect, intact, net, rapt, subit, tact, toast, transit, zénith, etc. It is not heard in Jésus-Christ, though it is sounded in le Christ.
LIST OF THE NOUNS OF DOUBLE GENDER EXISTING IN
THE FRENCH LANGUAGE.
| Aide | { | m., a male assistant. |
| { | f., a female assistant; aid, help, succor. | |
| Aigle | { | m., male eagle. |
| { | f., she-eagle; standard, eagle. | |
| Ange | { | m., angel; (artil.) chain-shot, bar-shot; angel-shot; (ich.) angel-fish.[1] |
| { | f., not used. | |
| Apologétique | { | m., Tertullian’s treatise in defense of the early Christians. |
| { | f., apologetics, a part of theology. | |
| Armadille | { | m., wood-louse. |
| { | f., armadilla, Spanish fleet to defend Spain’s possessions in the New World; Spanish frigate belonging to this fleet. | |
| Asclépiade | { | m., (ancient poet.) asclepiad. |
| { | f., (bot.) asclepias, swallow-wort. | |
| Aune | { | m., alder tree. |
| { | f., obsolete French measure = one ell. | |
| Barbe | { | m., Barbary horse. |
| { | f., beard. | |
| Barde | { | m., a bard, Celtic poet. |
| { | f., a thin slice, a rasher of bacon. | |
| Basque | { | m., Biscayan; Basque (nation and language). |
| { | f., flap, skirt, tail, of a coat, or any other garment. | |
| Bourgogne | { | m., Burgundy (wine). |
| { | f., Burgundy (province). | |
| Brie | { | m., Brie (cheese). |
| { | f., Brie (province); rolling-pin. | |
| Bulbe | { | m., (anat.) bulb. |
| { | f.,[2](bot.) bulb. | |
| Câpre[3] | { | m., ☉pirate; privateer; piratical ship. |
| { | f., (bot.) caper. | |
| Carpe | { | m., wrist. |
| { | f., (ich.) carp. | |
| Cartouche | { | m., (arch.) cartouch, modillion. |
| { | f., cartridge for small firearms. | |
| Caustique | { | m., (med.) caustic. |
| { | f., (geom., phys.) caustic curve. | |
| Champagne | { | m., Champagne (wine). |
| { | f., Champagne (province). | |
| Chorée | { | m., choreus, choree, trochee. |
| { | f., (med.) chorea, St. Vitus’ dance. | |
| Cinquième | { | m., the fifth part; pupil in the 5th form in public schools. |
| { | f., 5th form in public schools. | |
| Cistophore | { | m., (antiq.) Asiatic coin marked with a cist. |
| { | f., (antiq.) a female cist-bearer in the feast of Ceres and Bacchus. | |
| Claque | { | m. opera hat. |
| { | f., flap, slap, smack; (thea.) claque, paid clappers. | |
| Cloaque | { | m., sink, receptacle of filth; filthy, dirty place; filthy person; (anat.) cloaca. |
| { | f., (Roman antiq.) common sewer. | |
| Coche | { | m., barge for the conveyance of travelers, track-boat, coach. |
| { | f., sow, she-pig; notch, nick, indentation. | |
| Connétable | { | m., High-Constable. |
| { | f., High-Constable’s wife. | |
| Contumace | { | m., a man guilty of contumacy (jur.). |
| { | f., contumacy. | |
| Cornette | { | m., cornet, ensign-bearer (cavalry). |
| { | f., cornet, mob-cap; (milit.) colors of a company of cavalry; cornetcy; (nav.) broad pendant. | |
| Cosaque | { | m., Cossack. |
| { | f., Cossack dance. | |
| Cosmétique | { | m., cosmetic. |
| { | f., the art of using cosmetics. | |
| Cotte | { | m., (ich.) bull-head, miller’s-thumb. |
| { | f., ☉petticoat. — d’armes; coat of arms. — de mailles; coat of mail. — morte; property left by a deceased monk. | |
| Couple | { | m., a married pair, husband and wife. |
| { | f., a brace, two. | |
| Cravate | { | m., Croatian horse; ☉trooper of light cavalry regiments which bore the same name. |
| { | f., cravat, necktie, neckcloth. | |
| Crêpe | { | m., crape. |
| { | f., pancake. | |
| Critique | { | m., a critic. |
| { | f., criticism. | |
| Custode | { | m., warden. |
| { | f., cloth to cover the pyx in which the Host is kept; curtain of the high altar; ☉curtain. | |
| Décime | { | m., copper coin worth 10 centimes, the tenth part of a franc; a war tax. |
| { | f., tithe formerly levied on ecclesiastical revenues; pl., tax paid formerly to the king by the holders of benefices. | |
| Dentale | { | m., (conch,) dentalium, dental, tooth-shell. |
| { | f., dental, dental consonant. | |
| Didactique | { | m., didactic language, didactic style. |
| { | f., the art of teaching. | |
| Dixième | { | m., the tenth part; a tax. |
| { | f., (mus.) tenth. | |
| Ébène[4] | { | m., not used. |
| { | f., ebony, ebon; (fig.) black color. | |
| Écho | { | m., echo. |
| { | f., Echo (nymph). | |
| Élève | { | m., male pupil, school-boy. |
| { | f., female pupil, school-girl; breeding of horses, cattle, etc. | |
| Enseigne | { | m., ensign, standard-bearer. |
| { | f., sign-board. | |
| Éphémère | { | m., (ent.) ephemera, ephemeran, day-fly, May-fly. |
| { | f., spider-wort, tradescantia virginica. | |
| Espace | { | m., space, distance, interval. |
| { | f., (print.) space, metallic plate to separate words. | |
| Exemple | { | m., example. |
| { | f., writing-copy. | |
| Faune | { | m., faun (myth.). |
| { | f., fauna. | |
| Faux | { | m., forgery, falsehood. |
| { | f., scythe. | |
| Fin | { | m., sharp, astute man; gist, main point; (metal.) pure metal. |
| { | f., end, termination; aim, object, view, design, intention. | |
| Finale | { | m., (mus.) finale. |
| { | f., (gram.) final letter or syllable. | |
| Flasque | { | m., cheek (of a gun-carriage). |
| { | f., powder-flask, powder-horn; (nav.) whelp (of the capstan); board (of bellows). | |
| Follicule | { | m., (anat., bot.) follicle. |
| { | f., [5]small sheet of paper; (pharm.) pod of senna. | |
| Foret[6] | { | m., drill (to bore holes). |
| { | f., forest. | |
| Foudre | { | m., (st.e.) thunder-bolt, lightning; (paint., sculpt.) thunder-bolt, Jupiter’s attribute; (fig.) irresistible eloquence; great general, orator, hero; divine anger, vengeance; fulmination of excommunication, etc.; artillery, mines, war; (poet.) catastrophe, destruction. A tun (cask). |
| { | f., thunder-bolt, lightning; (fig.) divine anger, vengeance; fulmination of excommunication, etc.; superior eloquence; artillery, mines, etc. | |
| Fourbe | { | m., knave. |
| { | f., deceit, craftiness. | |
| Garde | { | m., a guard, a keeper. |
| { | f., guarding, guard; watching; keeping. | |
| Garde-robe | { | m., lady’s apron. |
| { | f., wardrobe; (bot.) artemisia. | |
| Geste | { | m., gesture, action, movement. pl., ☉great deeds of generals, princes, etc. |
| { | f., poem in old French. | |
| Givre | { | m., hoar frost, rime. |
| { | f., (her.) snake, serpent, wyvern. | |
| Grave | { | m., (phys.) body, heavy body; (lit.) grave style; (mus.) flat; wine made at Grave (France). |
| { | f., shore, beach (Newfoundland); | |
| { | pl., gravelly and clayey soil in the department of Gironde (France). | |
| Greffe | { | m., record-office of a court of justice. |
| { | f., graft. | |
| Grêle | { | m., nut-coal. |
| { | f., hail; (med.) chalazion, grando, hailstone. | |
| Guérilla | { | m., guerilla-soldier. |
| { | f., guerilla, small army of irregulars. | |
| Guide | { | m., a guide. |
| { | f., rein. | |
| Havane | { | m., Havana (cigar). |
| { | f., Havana (town). | |
| Hymne | { | m., ode, hymn. |
| { | f., hymn (church). | |
| Inde | { | m., indigo, indigo blue; logwood. |
| { | f., India. | |
| Interligne | { | m., space between printed or written lines; space between the lines of the stave (mus.). |
| { | f., (print.) lead, metallic plate to separate lines. | |
| Jujube | { | m., the extract of jujube (fruit). |
| { | f., [7]jujube (fruit). | |
| Laque | { | m., lacker, lacquer. |
| { | f., lac, lake, gum-lake. | |
| Lepte | { | m., (ent.) leptus, wheal-worm, harvest-bug. |
| { | f., (bot.) a triphyllous plant of the order celastraceæ. | |
| Lévite | { | m., Levite. |
| { | f., surtout, overcoat. | |
| Liquide | { | m., a liquid. |
| { | f., (gram.) liquid, liquid consonant. | |
| Litre | { | m., liter, French measure of capacity, less than a quart. |
| { | f., band of black cloth bearing the coat of arms of a deceased person, and hung in church at his funeral. | |
| Livre | { | m., book. |
| { | f., pound (weight, money). | |
| Louche | { | m., ambiguity; equivocalnees; underhand dealing. |
| { | f., soup-ladle. | |
| Loutre | { | m., ☉a hat, a muff, etc., made of otter-skin or hair. |
| { | f., otter. | |
| Maheutre | { | m., (French hist.) Protestant soldier. |
| { | f., a sleeve that was formerly worn, and did not reach further than the elbow. | |
| Manche | { | m., handle of a tool, a knife, etc. |
| { | f., sleeve; the English Channel. | |
| Manœuvre | { | m., day-laborer; bricklayer’s journeyman; (fig.) bungler; crafty person. |
| { | f., (milit., nav.) maneuver; running rigging, cordages of a ship. | |
| Marengo | { | m., Oxford gray (color). |
| { | f., (cook.) marengo (sauce for fowl). | |
| Maroufle | { | m., ragamuffin, lout, rascallion, clodhopper. |
| { | f., (paint.) lining-paste. | |
| Martyre | { | m., martyrdom. |
| { | f., a female martyr. | |
| Masque | { | m., a mask. |
| { | f., ☉ugly woman, ugly girl. | |
| Mémoire | { | m., memorandum; memoir; bill (of large amount). |
| { | f., the memory. | |
| Merci | { | m., thanks. |
| { | f., mercy, grace, benevolence, favor. | |
| Mestre de Camp | { | m., ☉colonel; general. |
| { | f., ☉the 1st company of a regiment. | |
| Minime | { | m., minim, Franciscan monk. |
| { | f., ☉(mus.) minim. | |
| Mobile | { | m., mover, spring, motive power; motive; soldier in the garde mobile. |
| { | f., the garde mobile, a French infantry corps no longer in existence. | |
| Mode | { | m., mood, mode; method. |
| { | f., fashion. | |
| Môle | { | m., pier, jetty. |
| { | f., (med.) mole. | |
| Mort | { | m., a dead man. |
| { | f., death. | |
| Moufle[8] | { | m., (chem.) muffle. |
| { | f., (mec.) tackle (assemblage of pulleys); fingerless glove. | |
| Moule | { | m., mold, matrix to cast lead, iron, etc. |
| { | f., (ich.) mussel. | |
| Mousse | { | m., cabin-boy, apprentice sailor. |
| { | f., moss; froth, foam. | |
| Mulle | { | m., (ich.) mullet. |
| { | f., ☉rennet, prepared membrane of the calf’s stomach. | |
| Myope | { | m., myope, short-sighted man; (ent.) conops. |
| { | f., myope, short-sighted female. | |
| Mystique | { | m., mystic (man). |
| { | f., mystic (female); the study of spirituality. | |
| Néphrétique | { | m., (med.) nephritic; man affected with nephritis. |
| { | f., nephritic, renal colic. | |
| Nielle | { | m., niello. |
| { | f., blight, smut; (bot.) rose campion. | |
| Noël | { | m., Christmas; Christmas carol. |
| { | f., la Noël (ellipsis for la fête de Noël), Christmas-day. | |
| Œuvre | { | m., the philosopher’s stone; (arch.) walls; the whole of the works of an engraver, painter, or composer of music; argentiferous lead; (jur.) summons to one who builds upon another man’s ground. |
| { | f., work, deed, action; work of the hand; handiwork; (jewel.) bezel; (nav.) hull of a ship; the works of a writer. | |
| Office | { | m., divine service; duty; office[9]; employment; formulary of prayers. Saint-—; holy-office, inquisition. |
| { | f., servants’ hall; pantry. | |
| Ombre[10] | { | m., (ich.) umbra, chromis, corvo; umber, grayling, char; (card game) omber. |
| { | f., shade, shadow; spirit, ghost. | |
| Once | { | m., mountain-cat, catamount. |
| { | f., ounce (weight); jaguar, ounce. | |
| Orphiques | { | m., Orpheus’ poems; Pythagoreans, votaries of Orpheus. |
| { | f., orgies, feast in honor of Bacchus. | |
| Page | { | m., page, young male servant. |
| { | f., page of a book, etc. | |
| Paillasse | { | m., clown, merry-andrew. |
| { | f., straw-bed, straw-bed ticking. | |
| Palme | { | m., palm; hand (measures). |
| { | f., palm; palm-branch; (bot.) palm-tree; pattern of cashmere shawls; (sculpt., arch.) palm; (her.) palm; (bot.) Cuban reed; (nav.) a kind of East Indian ship with two masts. | |
| Pantomime | { | m., pantomimist, pantomime. |
| { | f., dumb-show, pantomime. | |
| Pâque[11] | { | m., Easter (Christian religion). |
| { | f., Passover, Easter (Jewish religion). | |
| Parallèle | { | m., comparison; (geog.) parallel of latitude. |
| { | f., (geom.) parallel line; (fort.) trench, trenches. | |
| Part | { | m., (jur.) new-born child, infant; birth. |
| { | f., share, portion, part; concern, interest, part, side. | |
| Peau-rouge | { | m., American Indian. Red-skin. |
| { | f., (no hyphen) any one’s skin when it is red, or redder than usual. | |
| Pendule | { | m., pendulum. |
| { | f., time-piece. | |
| Période | { | m., highest point, acme, height. |
| { | f., period, epoch. | |
| Personne | { | m., (pron.) nobody, anybody. |
| { | f., (noun) a person. | |
| Physique | { | m., a person’s constitution, body. |
| { | f., natural philosophy. | |
| Pique | { | m., spade (cards). |
| { | f., pike (weapon); tiff, pique, quarrel. | |
| Pivoine | { | m., (orni.) bull-finch. |
| { | f., (bot.) peony, piony. | |
| Plane | { | m., (bot.) plane-tree; inside surface of scissors blades. |
| { | f., joiner’s plane; spoke-shave, drawing-knife; (ich.) plaice. | |
| Platine | { | m., (metal.) platinum. |
| { | f., lock (of small fire-arms); metallic-plate. | |
| Podagre | { | m., a podagrical man, i.e. one having the gout in his feet. |
| { | f., podagra, gout in the feet. | |
| Poêle | { | m., pall; stove. |
| { | f., frying-pan. | |
| Polacre or Polaque | { | m., ☉Polish cavalry. |
| { | f., (nav.) polacca, polacre. | |
| Politique | { | m., politician. |
| { | f., politics; policy. | |
| Ponte | { | m., punter (gambling). |
| { | f., laying of eggs. | |
| Poste | { | m., post, situation. |
| { | f., post, mail, post-office; buckshot. | |
| Poulpe | { | m., (mol.) poulp, octopus. |
| { | f., pulp, pap. | |
| Pourpre | { | m., purple (color); (her.) purpure; (chem.) purple; (med.) purples. |
| { | f., purple, coloring matter extracted from buccinum lapillus; stuff, fabric dyed in purple; (fig.) vivid red color; sovereign dignity, cardinal’s dignity. | |
| Prétexte | { | m., pretense, pretext. |
| { | f., (Rom. ant.) prætexta. | |
| Primevère | { | m., ☉spring season. |
| { | f., (bot.) primrose, cowslip, oxlip. | |
| Pupille | { | m., a male ward. |
| { | f., a female ward; pupil of the eye. | |
| Pyrrhique | { | m., pyrrhic (poet.). |
| { | f., pyrrhic, military dance. | |
| Quadrille | { | m., quadrille (card game); quadrille, a dance; (mus.) quadrille. |
| { | f., troup of horses in a tournament. | |
| Quadruple | { | m., quadruple, fourfold; (Spanish coin) doubloon. |
| { | f., Spanish gold coin worth about £3 8s. | |
| Quatrième | { | m., fourth; 4th floor; pupil of the 4th form in public schools. |
| { | f., 4th form in public schools; (piquet) quart. | |
| Queux | { | m., ☉cook. |
| { | f., whetting-stone, hone. | |
| Réciproque | { | m., like, like for like, tit for tat. |
| { | f., (log.) converse. | |
| Réclame | { | m., (hawking) cry, sign to bring back a hawk to the lure or to the fist. |
| { | f., (print.) catch-word; primer; editorial advertisement in newspapers; (c.rel.) part of the responses recited in the versicle; (thea.) cue. | |
| Régale | { | m., organ stop imitating the human voice; regal (musical instrument). |
| { | f., the king’s right to receive the revenue of a vacant bishopric. | |
| Réglisse | { | m., du réglisse (popular ellipsis for du jus de réglisse) extract of liquorice, Spanish juice. |
| { | f., (bot.) liquorice, licorice; liquorice root. | |
| Relâche | { | m., (thea.) non-performance. |
| { | f., (nav.) putting into port. | |
| Remise | { | m., coach let on hire, livery-coach. |
| { | f., coach-house; (com.) remittance. | |
| Rencontre | { | m., (her.) rencounter. |
| { | f., encounter, rencounter, accidental meeting; accident, chance, collision; meeting; accidental fight; opportunity, occurrence, case; juncture. | |
| Rhingrave | { | m., count of the Rhine. |
| { | f., ☉knee-breeches. | |
| Romaïque | { | m., Romaic, modern Greek language. |
| { | f., the Greek national dance. | |
| Rossinante | { | m., Rosinante, Don Quixote’s horse. |
| { | f., Rosinante, a sorry horse, a jade. | |
| Sagittaire | { | m., (astron.) Saggitarius. |
| { | f., (bot.) arrow-head, adder’s-tongue. | |
| Sarde | { | m., a native of Sardinia. |
| { | f., (ich.) whale; scomber; sardan; Brazilian sardine or pilchard. | |
| Satyre | { | m., (myth.) satyr. |
| { | f., (Grec. ant.) satyric tragedy. | |
| Scolastique | { | m., scholastic; school-man. |
| { | f., scholasticism. | |
| Scolie | { | m., (geom.) scholium. |
| { | f., scholium, annotation; (Grec antiq.) table-song. | |
| Scytale | { | m., (zoöl.) a species of very venomous snakes. |
| { | f., (antiq.) staff used in Sparta as a cypher to write secret dispatches. | |
| Septième | { | m., seventh, seventh part, seventh day. |
| { | f., (piquet) septième; (mus.) seventh. | |
| Serpentaire | { | m., (astron.) Serpentarius; (orni.) secretary-bird, snake-eater. |
| { | f., (bot.) dragon’s-wort. | |
| Silène | { | m., (myth.) Silenus; Satyr, attendant of Bacchus; (ent.) a South European butterfly. |
| { | f., (bot.) catch-fly. | |
| Sixième | { | m., sixth, sixth part; sixth day; pupil of the 6th class in public schools. |
| { | f., (piquet) seizième; 6th class in public schools. | |
| Solde | { | m., balance of an account. |
| { | f., soldier’s pay. | |
| Somme | { | m., nap, slumbers, doze, sleep. |
| { | f., a sum of money; total; load, burden. | |
| Souris | { | m., smile. |
| { | f., mouse. | |
| Statère[12] | { | m., (antiq.) stater (coin). |
| { | f., (antiq.) statera, Roman balance. | |
| Statuaire | { | m., sculptor. |
| { | f., the art of making statues, statuary. | |
| Stipe | { | m., (bot.) stipe; caudex. |
| { | f., (bot.) stipa, feather-grass; ☉a tax on leases. | |
| Superbe | { | m., proud, haughty man. |
| { | f., arrogance, haughtiness, vainglory. | |
| Technique | { | m., (arts) material execution, technicalities. |
| { | f., technics. | |
| Teneur | { | m., keeper, accountant; teneur de livres; book-keeper. |
| { | f., text, terms, purport, tenor, contents, of writings. | |
| Terre-neuve | { | m., Newfoundland dog. |
| { | f., Newfoundland. | |
| Tirelire | { | m., ☉song, carol of the lark. |
| { | f., money-box. | |
| Tonique | { | m., (med.) tonic. |
| { | f., (mus.) tonic, key-note, key. | |
| Topique | { | m., (rhet., med.) tonic. |
| { | f., (rhet.) the art of finding topic or arguments. | |
| Tour | { | m., turn; tour; lathe; trick. |
| { | f., tower. | |
| Triomphe | { | m., triumph. |
| { | f., triumph (card-game). | |
| Trochée | { | m., (poet.) trochee. |
| { | f., (agri.) brushwood. | |
| Troisième | { | m., third; third floor; pupil of the 3d class in public schools. |
| { | f., 3d class in public schools. | |
| Trolle | { | m., globe-flower, trollius. |
| { | f., (hunt.) trolling. | |
| Trompette | { | m., trumpeter. |
| { | f., trumpet. | |
| Trouble | { | m., confusion, disorder, disturbance, dispute, quarrel; pl. troubles, broils, commotions. |
| { | f., hoop-net (for fishing). | |
| Vague | { | m., space, emptiness; vagueness; looseness; uncertainty. |
| { | f., sea-wave, billow. | |
| Vapeur | { | m., steamer, steam-boat. |
| { | f., steam; vapor. | |
| Vase | { | m., vase. |
| { | f., mud, slime, mire. | |
| Vigogne | { | m., hat made of vicugna wool. |
| { | f., (zoöl.) vicugna. | |
| Voile | { | m., veil. |
| { | f., sail. | |
| Vulnéraire | { | m., (pharm.) vulnerary. |
| { | f., (bot.) kidney-vetch, woundwort. |