French word

conscience

Pronunciation

IPA/kɔ̃sjɑ̃s/

Meaning

  • feminine nounconscience

Example

J'ai mauvaise conscience.

I have a guilty conscience.

Illustration for conscience (conscience)

More examples

Il agit selon sa conscience.

He acts according to his conscience.

Core concept

An inner moral awareness that observes an action and weighs it as right or wrong.

Common phrases

  • avoir la conscience tranquille

    have a clear conscience

  • avoir mauvaise conscience

    have a guilty conscience

  • agir selon sa conscience

    act according to one's conscience

Similar words

culpabilité: The feeling of being at fault and blaming oneself for a wrong action.
honte: A feeling of shame about something done or about one's personal condition.
remords: Painful regret over something done in the past.
regret: Disappointment or sadness about a past event or decision.

Definition in French

État d'esprit où l'on perçoit ses actes et leur valeur morale, pouvant entraîner remords ou fierté.

Word origin

French conscience comes from Latin conscientia, formed from con- "with" and scire "to know," and its sense developed toward moral self-awareness.

Usage tips

  • Conscience is feminine, so standard forms include une conscience, la conscience, and mauvaise conscience.

Other meanings

  • consciousnessnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word