This is another adjective corresponding to a noun. It seems odd that a fruit would have the name normally reserved for something prepared to have a smooth texture, but it is actually from the Dutch word pompelmoes – a big lemon – which explains the use of the word mousse in its French adaptation. This is not mousse that you eat – pâté, chocolate mousse – but grapefruit. I’m not sure if the form of many kites resembles deer, but perhaps the flighty movements of kites bring deer to mind. This could be literally translated as “flying deer”, but is actually the translation for “kite”. It’s good to have a six-syllable word for something so bombastic. Its definition in the Larousse appears as: “Qui suscite l'incrédulité par son caractère improbable ou incohérent : Une affirmation abracadabrantesque”.

In French there is a corresponding adjective, which means preposterous, exaggerated. Remember the word abracadabra? It is used as an incantation for magic tricks and is spelled the same way in English and in French. 8 Funny French Words 1) abracadabrantesque

Some words seem to be deliberately funny, while others have just turned out to be amusing. Did I mention the group of students who laughed their pointy heads off at the word deuil as they were adjusting to producing its vowel sounds? In this case, their anglophone twist on the sounds of the word played a role in how funny it was to them, but there are also French words and phrases that are funny to any person uttering them, whether or not they are native speakers. If you are learning French, it's useful to know some funny French phrases. There are words and phrases that sound funny in any language, and French is no exception.

Words with accent grave in french