French word

tête

Pronunciation

IPA/tɛt/

Meaning

  • feminine nounhead

Example

Il secoue la tête.

He shakes his head.

Illustration for tête (head)

More examples

Il hoche la tête.

He nods.

Core concept

A protective top that contains the face and brain, extends to the front of an object, and represents a person's mind.

Common phrases

  • faire la tête

    sulk

  • garder la tête froide

    keep a cool head

  • avoir la tête qui tourne

    feel dizzy

Similar words

chef: The person responsible for leading a group or managing a task.
cerveau: The brain as the organ responsible for thought and memory.
esprit: The mind as the source of thought and personality.

Definition in French

Organe qui porte le visage et le cerveau ; par extension, la partie la plus avancée d'une chose ou l'esprit/intelligence d'une personne.

Word origin

The Old French form teste developed from Latin testa, meaning a pot or shell, and became the usual French word for the head.

Usage tips

  • The phrase à la tête de means 'at the head of' or 'leading', while en tête means 'at the front' or 'in first place'.

Other meanings

  • brainnoun

Related words

  • casse-têtebrain-teasernoun
  • tête-à-têteprivate conversationnoun

Word lists with this word