French Conversation · Level 42
75 words
French word
excuse
Pronunciation
IPA/ɛkskyz/
Meaning
- feminine nounexcuse
Example
Ce n'est pas une excuse.
That's not an excuse.
More examples
Il a présenté ses excuses pour le retard.
He offered his apologies for the delay.
Core concept
A claimed explanation that can reduce blame when accepted but sound like a pretext when rejected.
Common phrases
présenter ses excuses
offer one's apologies
inventer une excuse
invent an excuse
Similar words
prétexte: A false reason created to conceal the true motive.
justification: A defense explaining why an action or decision was right or reasonable.
explication: A clear explanation of why something happened or how someone acted.
alibi: A statement that someone was elsewhere when an incident occurred.
Definition in French
Désigne une justification présentée pour diminuer la responsabilité, pouvant être perçue comme sincère ou comme simple prétexte.
Word origin
The French noun excuse is inherited through Old French from Latin excusare, whose sense of removing blame developed into a term for a justification.
Usage tips
- The noun is feminine: une excuse, with the plural des excuses; mes excuses is a conventional way to apologize.
Other meanings
- apologynoun
Opposites
- responsabilitéaccountabilitynoun
Related words
- excuserexcuseverb
- excusablepardonableadjective
- inexcusableinexcusableadjective