French word

éclair

Pronunciation

IPA/eklɛʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nouneclair

Example

J'ai acheté un éclair au chocolat.

I bought a chocolate eclair.

Illustration for éclair (eclair)

More examples

Tu veux un éclair pour le dessert ?

Do you want an éclair for dessert?

Core concept

One bright, sudden streak becomes a long cream-filled pastry with a shiny top.

Common phrases

  • manger un éclair

    eat an éclair

  • un éclair à la vanille

    a vanilla éclair

Similar words

chou: A small round choux pastry filled with cream.
pain au chocolat: An elongated pastry made from laminated dough and filled with chocolate.
croissant: A crescent-shaped, flaky pastry made from butter-laminated dough.
gâteau: A sweet cake made by baking flour, eggs, and sugar together.

Definition in French

Dessert allongé préparé à base de pâte à choux, garni de crème pâtissière et nappé d'un glaçage.

Word origin

French éclair comes through Old French escler from Latin exclarare, and the pastry name reuses the word for a flash of lightning.

Usage tips

  • Context distinguishes éclair as a pastry from its senses of a lightning flash and a sudden insight.

Other meanings

  • lightningnoun
  • flash of inspirationnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word