French word

gag

Pronunciation

IPA/gag/

Meaning

  • masculine nounjoke

Example

Le public a ri du gag.

The audience laughed at the joke.

Illustration for gag (joke)

More examples

Il a raconté un gag qui a détendu l'atmosphère.

He told a joke that lightened the mood.

Core concept

A compact piece of comic business, spoken or physical, that works almost instantly.

Common phrases

  • raconter un gag

    tell a joke

  • faire un gag

    perform a gag

  • un gag visuel

    a visual gag

Similar words

blague: A joke told as a story or a single amusing line.
plaisanterie: A playful remark intended to tease someone lightly.
canular: A deceptive joke presented as a real event or claim.

Definition in French

Réplique ou geste comique très bref destiné à surprendre ou amuser rapidement un public ou des interlocuteurs.

Word origin

French adopted gag from English comedy vocabulary, using it for the short comic device or bit found in performances and exchanges.

Usage tips

  • Gag usually names one short comic bit, whereas blague more often names a joke or humorous story.

Opposites

Word lists with this word