baguette

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stick, rod, wand, baton, baguette
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/ba.ɡɛt/
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A small slender rod or strip, the long crusty bread named from that shape, and a narrow rectangular jewellery cut.
Practice using this word in conversation

Examples

  • Nous partageons une baguette avec du fromage.
    We share a baguette with cheese.
  • J'achète une baguette à la boulangerie.
    I buy a baguette at the bakery.
  • Elle choisit un diamant taille baguette.
    She chooses a baguette-cut diamond.
  • Le magicien sort une baguette de sa poche.
    The magician pulls a wand from his pocket.
  • Remue la préparation avec une baguette de verre.
    Stir the mixture with a glass rod.

Similar words

bâton
pain long
tige
diamant rectangulaire
pain français
pierre rectangulaire
bâtonnet
taille rectangulaire
verge

Meanings

Thin rod or strip

noun
everyday
neutral
A small narrow stick, baton, wand, or strip used as a tool, sign, ornament, or shaped part.

Usage

Use baguette for the rod-shaped object itself, then let the surrounding words show whether it is a baton, chopstick, drumstick, wand, glass rod, or moulding.

Examples

  • Le chef d'orchestre lève sa baguette.
    The conductor raises his baton.
  • Elle mange son riz avec des baguettes.
    She eats her rice with chopsticks.
  • Le magicien sort une baguette de sa poche.
    The magician pulls a wand from his pocket.
  • Le menuisier pose une baguette autour du cadre.
    The carpenter fits a strip around the frame.
  • Le batteur a cassé une baguette pendant le concert.
    The drummer broke a drumstick during the concert.
  • Remue la préparation avec une baguette de verre.
    Stir the mixture with a glass rod.

Common mistakes

The bread sense is chosen where French needs the general rod sense, and gender or plural marking is dropped.
IncorrectCorrect
Il dirige l'orchestre avec une baguette de pain. Il dirige l'orchestre avec une baguette.
Elle mange avec un baguette. Elle mange avec une baguette.
Il mange du riz avec une baguette. Il mange du riz avec des baguettes.

Similar words

bâtonnet
tige
bâton
verge

Long crusty loaf

noun
food
neutral
A long thin loaf of French bread with a crisp crust and a light crumb, bought fresh and usually eaten the same day.

Usage

Use baguette for the familiar French loaf, not for every kind of bread or for a round loaf.

Examples

  • J'achète une baguette à la boulangerie.
    I buy a baguette at the bakery.
  • Cette baguette a une croûte bien croustillante.
    This baguette has a very crisp crust.
  • Nous partageons une baguette avec du fromage.
    We share a baguette with cheese.
  • Les baguettes sortent du four avant midi.
    The baguettes come out of the oven before noon.
  • Une demi-baguette suffit pour le sandwich.
    Half a baguette is enough for the sandwich.
  • La baguette rassit vite si elle reste à l'air.
    The baguette goes stale quickly if it is left in the air.

Common mistakes

The feminine article and plural ending are often missed, and the word is stretched to bread shapes it does not name.
IncorrectCorrect
Je prends un baguette. Je prends une baguette.
Nous avons acheté deux baguette. Nous avons acheté deux baguettes.
Cette miche ronde est une baguette. Cette miche ronde n'est pas une baguette.

Similar words

pain français
pain long

Rectangular gemstone cut

noun
jewelry
technical
A narrow rectangular gemstone, or the step cut that gives a stone that clean elongated shape.

Usage

Use baguette in jewellery contexts for the stone or cut, often after the gem name in phrases such as diamant taille baguette.

Examples

  • Elle choisit un diamant taille baguette.
    She chooses a baguette-cut diamond.
  • La bague associe des baguettes et un brillant central.
    The ring combines baguette stones with a central brilliant.
  • Le joaillier taille la pierre en baguette.
    The jeweller cuts the stone as a baguette.
  • Des saphirs baguette entourent la pierre principale.
    Baguette sapphires surround the main stone.
  • La baguette allonge visuellement la monture.
    The baguette cut visually lengthens the setting.
  • Il préfère les baguettes aux pierres rondes.
    He prefers baguettes to round stones.

Common mistakes

The jewellery term is confused with bread, and the set phrase for the cut is often broken.
IncorrectCorrect
Elle porte une baguette de pain sur sa bague. Elle porte une baguette sur sa bague.
Un diamant coupé baguette. Un diamant taille baguette.
Des pierres rondes baguette entourent la bague. Des pierres taille baguette entourent la bague.

Similar words

taille rectangulaire
diamant rectangulaire
pierre rectangulaire

Usage

Use context to separate the old shape sense from the bread and jewellery senses, since all three are current in French.

Common mistakes

Un baguette uses the wrong gender, and the bread sense is often chosen when the context needs a wand, baton, chopsticks, or a strip.

Etymology

From Italian bacchetta, meaning a little stick, probably ultimately linked to Latin baculum, meaning staff.

FAQ

What does baguette mean in French?

baguette means a small slender rod or strip, and it also names the long French loaf and a rectangular jewellery cut.

Is baguette feminine or masculine?

baguette is feminine in French, so the singular form is une baguette.

Does baguette only mean bread?

No. The bread is very common, but baguette also means a wand, baton, chopstick, drumstick, strip, or rod-shaped object.

What is baguette magique?

baguette magique means a magic wand.

What are baguettes chinoises?

baguettes chinoises are chopsticks.

How do you say a conductor's baton in French?

A conductor's baton is a baguette or baguette de chef d'orchestre.

What is a bread baguette?

A bread baguette is a long, thin, crusty loaf associated with French bakeries.

What is a baguette cut?

A baguette cut is a narrow rectangular gemstone cut used especially for diamonds and side stones.

What is the plural of baguette?

The plural is baguettes.

How is baguette pronounced?

baguette is pronounced /ba.ɡɛt/ in French.

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