French word

foncé

Pronunciation

IPA/fɔ̃se/

Meaning

  • adjectivedark

Example

La couleur est foncée.

The color is dark.

Illustration for foncé (dark)

More examples

J'ai choisi un ton foncé pour la peinture.

I chose a dark tone for the paint.

Core concept

A color or substance that looks deep because its intensity is clearly increased rather than lightened.

Common phrases

  • couleur foncée

    dark color

  • ton foncé

    dark tone

  • cheveux foncés

    dark hair

Similar words

sombre: Appearing dark due to limited light.
profond: Deep and rich in color, with noticeable depth.

Definition in French

Issu du participe passé « foncé », se dit de ce qui présente une couleur profonde ou une forte concentration, contraire de clair.

Word origin

The adjective foncé comes from the past participle of foncer, a verb meaning to deepen or intensify something.

Usage tips

  • For a dark mood or gloomy setting, French generally uses sombre, while foncé focuses on color or concentration.

Other meanings

  • deepadjective

Opposites

Related words

  • foncerdarkenverb
  • fonceursomeone who charges aheadnoun

Word lists with this word