French word

huile

Pronunciation

IPA/ɥil/

Meaning

  • feminine nounoil

Example

J'ai acheté de l'huile pour la cuisine.

I bought oil for cooking.

Illustration for huile (oil)

More examples

Verse un peu d'huile dans la poêle.

Pour a little oil into the frying pan.

Core concept

A smooth, greasy liquid poured onto food or into a machine to reduce friction.

Common phrases

  • huile d'olive

    olive oil

  • tache d'huile

    oil stain

  • huile de cuisson

    cooking oil

Similar words

beurre: An edible fat made by churning cream that becomes firm when chilled.
margarine: A solid edible fat made from processed vegetable oil, often spread on bread.
matière grasse: A general term for fat found in food.
lubrifiant: An oily liquid or gel used to reduce friction between machine parts.

Definition in French

Liquide gras utilisé pour la cuisson, l'assaisonnement et comme lubrifiant; peut être comestible (par ex. huile d'olive) ou technique (par ex. huile moteur).

Word origin

French huile comes from Latin oleum, borrowed from Greek elaion, through Old French, and has kept its main sense of a liquid fat.

Usage tips

  • The uncountable noun usually takes the partitive article in everyday use, as in de l'huile for an unspecified amount.

Other meanings

  • lubricating oilnoun

Related words

Word lists with this word