French word

citron

Pronunciation

IPA/sitʁɔ̃/

Meaning

  • masculine nounlemon

Example

Passe-moi le citron, s'il te plaît.

Pass me the lemon, please.

Illustration for citron (lemon)

More examples

Je mets du citron dans mon thé.

I put lemon in my tea.

Core concept

A yellow citrus fruit that releases sharp juice when squeezed and fragrant oils from its peel.

Common phrases

  • jus de citron

    lemon juice

  • zeste de citron

    lemon zest

  • quartier de citron

    lemon wedge

Similar words

citron vert: A small green citrus fruit with a stronger sour taste, used in cooking and beverages.
orange: A sweet, juicy, round fruit commonly eaten fresh or squeezed into juice.
pamplemousse: A large citrus fruit with mildly bitter, tart flesh, eaten in pieces or made into juice.
agrumes: A collective term for citrus fruits known for their aromatic peel and acidic juice.

Definition in French

Petit agrume jaune à chair juteuse et acidulée, souvent employé pour aromatiser boissons, desserts et plats salés grâce à son jus et à son zeste.

Word origin

French citron comes from Latin citrus, ultimately from Ancient Greek kitron, and entered French through the historical development of Romance vocabulary.

Usage tips

  • French citron means lemon, whereas English citron usually names the less common cedrat, so the two words are false friends.

Related words

  • citronnierlemon treenoun
  • citronnadelemonadenoun
  • citronnélemon-flavoredadjective

Word lists with this word