French word

toc

Pronunciation

IPA/tɔk/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncheap stuff

Example

Ne l'achète pas, c'est du toc.

Don't buy it; it's cheap stuff.

Illustration for toc (cheap stuff)

More examples

Il vend du toc au marché.

He sells cheap stuff at the market.

Core concept

A hollow-looking cheap object or a tiny quirk that returns in the same pattern.

Common phrases

  • du toc

    cheap stuff

  • objet en toc

    a fake item

  • bijou en toc

    fake jewelry

Similar words

camelote: A flashy, poorly made cheap item that does not last.
pacotille: A cheap trinket or product with almost no value.
contrefaçon: A counterfeit made to resemble the genuine item but inferior in quality and value.

Definition in French

Désigne une chose de pacotille ou de qualité médiocre, et familièrement par métonymie pour une petite manie ou un comportement répétitif et sans gravité.

Word origin

French toc is an onomatopoeic formation connected with a light knocking sound, later applied to a worthless imitation and to a small repetitive quirk.

Usage tips

  • Toc is familiar in register, and its final c is pronounced, roughly like the k in English knock.

Other meanings

  • fakenoun
  • knocknoun
  • quirknoun

Related words

  • tocarda losernoun

Word lists with this word