FAQs
MEANING: noun: A masterpiece. ETYMOLOGY: From French chef-d'oeuvre (masterpiece), from chef (chief) + oeuvre (work).
What is the literal meaning of chef d oeuvre? ›
French chef-d'oeuvre, literally, leading work.
Can we use chef d'oeuvre in English? ›
Meaning of chef-d'oeuvre in English
an artist or writer's greatest piece of work: The Decameron is widely regarded as Boccaccio's chef-d'oeuvre.
How do you use chef d oeuvre in a sentence? ›
How to use chef-d'oeuvre in a sentence. It is indeed a masterpiece—a chef-d'oeuvre—beauty and expression unequaled. The grisette from a certain point of view is the chef-d'oeuvre of Parisian industry; the bouquet of Parisian civilization. Bertie was executing his chef d'oeuvre in the delineation of Mrs.
Where does chef d oeuvre come from? ›
The earliest known use of the noun chef d'oeuvre is in the early 1600s. OED's earliest evidence for chef d'oeuvre is from 1619, in a letter by John Chamberlain, letter writer. chef d'oeuvre is a borrowing from French. Etymons: French chef d'œuvre.
Is chef d oeuvre French? ›
“chef-d'œuvre”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language] , 2012.
What is the literal meaning of the French term hors d oeuvre? ›
Etymology. Hors d'œuvre in French literally means 'outside the work', that is "not part of the ordinary set of courses in a meal".
What is the hardest French dish to pronounce? ›
10 French Food Words We've Been Pronouncing All Wrong
- Bouillabaisse = BOOL-yuh-BAYZ. ...
- Coq au vin = kohk oh VAHN. ...
- Macaron = mack-uh-RON. ...
- Foie gras = FWAH-GRAH. ...
- Niçoise = nee-SWAHZ. ...
- Boeuf bourguignon = boof boor-gheen-YOHN. ...
- Crêpe = crehp. ...
- Croissant = CWA-sohn.
What does my oeuvre mean? ›
The oeuvre of a writer or artist refers to all their work combined. Writing one book isn't much of an oeuvre, but writing ten could be. This is a French word often used by critics — people who comment on the work of writers, painters, musicians, and other artists. An oeuvre is the total output of an artist.
Why is chef pronounced sh? ›
The word chef is borrowed from French then it normally has the French pronunciation and that is /shef/.
work of art. magnum opus. masterpiece. number. chef-d'oeuvre.
How do you use oeuvre in a sentence? ›
Examples of 'oeuvre' in a sentence
- Had he persisted he would have had a minority report and the much-admired oeuvre would have been greeted with derision. ...
- He created not just an immense oeuvre but a host of repertories, all at once, for the different musical departments.
Does oeuvre mean work? ›
borrowed from French, literally, "work," going back to Old French ovre, going back to Latin opera "activity, effort, attention, work," collective derivative from oper-, opus "work, effort, product of labor" — more at opus.
What does hors d oeuvre stand for? ›
: any of various tasty foods usually served as appetizers. Etymology. from French hors-d'œuvre "appetizers," from the phrase hors d'œuvre, literally, "outside of work"
What is the meaning of the French word Chef de Partie? ›
A chef de partie is a section chef, such as a saucier or patissier.
What is the meaning of chef de bord? ›
may use the term "chef de bord" instead of the term "conducteur" [...] currently used in the French. [...] text of CEVNI as long as it means a person exercising a nautical responsibility on board a vessel.
What is the meaning of chef de chef? ›
A chef de cuisine (French pronunciation: [ʃɛf. də. kɥi. zin], French for head of kitchen) or head chef is a chef that leads a kitchen and its cooks.