French word

vœu

Pronunciation

IPA/vø/

Meaning

  • masculine nounwish

Example

Je fais un vœu.

I make a wish.

Illustration for vœu (wish)

More examples

La famille a exaucé son vœu.

The family granted his wish.

Core concept

A spoken wish directed toward a hoped-for future, sometimes carrying the force of a promise.

Common phrases

  • faire un vœu

    make a wish

  • exaucer un vœu

    grant a wish

Similar words

souhait: A simple wish commonly stated aloud.
désir: A powerful desire for something.
espoir: Hope that something will happen as expected.

Definition in French

Un vœu est un désir qu'une personne formule en espérant qu'il se réalise.

Word origin

French vœu comes from Old French veu and ultimately from Latin votum, a term for a vow or expressed wish.

Usage tips

  • Vœu is masculine, so the usual form is un vœu and not une vœu.

Other meanings

  • vownoun

Word lists with this word