French Conversation · Level 146
30 words
French word
cancan
Pronunciation
IPA/kɑ̃kɑ̃/
Meaning
- masculine noungossip
Example
Au bureau, on entend souvent des cancans sur les collègues.
At the office, you often hear gossip about your colleagues.
More examples
Elle raconte rarement des cancans.
She rarely spreads gossip.
Core concept
A loose circle of coworkers passing along unverified, mildly malicious talk about someone.
Common phrases
raconter des cancans
spread gossip
écouter les cancans
listen to gossip
Similar words
rumeur: An unconfirmed rumor with unclear grounds that has spread widely.
potin: Everyday gossip about light topics shared for amusement.
ragot: A disparaging rumor that may cause harm to the person discussed.
commérage: Gossip about private lives exchanged out of curiosity at work or locally.
Definition in French
Commérage bref et souvent péjoratif, diffusé oralement entre personnes.
Word origin
The gossip sense derives from French cancaner, an expressive verb for noisy, repeated chatter, with the noun formed from that verb.
Usage tips
- In this sense, cancan is masculine, so standard phrasing is un cancan and des cancans; it is usually pejorative rather than neutral.