logo
French Word of the Day: Cadet

French Word of the Day: Cadet

Local France09-05-2025

Why do I need to know
cadet?
Because
this word has another usage outside of the military.
What does it mean?
Cadet
- roughly pronounced kah-day - is a word you might be familiar with in English, but it actually comes from France originally.
The term in English has a military connotation these days, but in France it still holds another meaning. It is used to refer to the second or youngest son (usually the son, or
fils cadet
, but occasionally daughter, or
fille cadette
).
As such, your French friend might introduce their toddler son as their
fils cadet
, or you might read a headline introducing a celebrity or politician's family with the children outlined in this way.
Originally, the word for the younger child was
puîné
, basically meaning
puis né
(born after), in contrast to
aîné
, which comes from the Old French
ainz né
(which itself evolved from the Latin
ante natus
).
People still use the term
aîné
to describe the oldest child, but most people don't use
puîné
anymore, as it has been replaced by cadet for some time.
Advertisement
Cadet
has an interesting history. It comes from the Occitan term
capdet
, which likely came from Latin as well (
capitellus
, coming from
caput
, meaning head). It was a diminutive meaning 'little head' and eventually 'the younger' or 'the junior'.
As for the connection with the military - in the Middle Ages, the tradition for wealthy, land-owning families was that the first son inherited the property, while the second son joined the military and the third was sent to the clergy. In the 15th century, writers started referring to the Gascon officers in the military of the kings of France, many of whom were second sons.
Later on,
cadet
became the designation for a gentleman serving as a low officer or soldier.
Technically, a
cadet
(or
cadette
for girls) can be any child after the first, unlike the word
Benjamin
which is only ever used to refer to the last sibling (a reference to the Bible character of Benjamin, the last child of Jacob).
Use it like this
Ma fille cadette est plus sage que son âge. -
My youngest daughter is wiser than her years.
Le prince Harry est le fils cadet du roi Charles III au Royaume-Uni.
- Prince Harry is the younger son of King Charles III in the UK.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

The ultimate guide to tea drinking in France
The ultimate guide to tea drinking in France

Local France

time3 hours ago

  • Local France

The ultimate guide to tea drinking in France

Yes, France is a coffee country. It has been since an Armenian fellow who went by the name of Pascal opened a coffee shop in Paris less than two years after King Louis XIV was gifted a bag of beans in 1669 by the ambassador of the Ottoman Empire that made what he described as a 'magical beverage'. READ ALSO How to drink your coffee in the French style France even has a coffee roast bearing its name – French roast coffee tends to be darker than many modern roasts, and it's not as fashionable these days in many parts of the world, but it's probably what you'll get if you ask for un café . But what about the French and their thé (tea) consumption? Advertisement Tea history It's not just Britons who consume vast oceans of tea. It's popular with the Irish, Turks, Moroccans, Pakistanis, Japanese, Chinese, Kenyans and New Zealanders, among many others. The irony is that tea reached France before it got as far as Britain. The Dutch, another European nation not particularly noted for their tea drinking proclivities, introduced it to France in the 17th century. Meanwhile, they even grow tea in France. There are plantations as far north as Brittany. Louis XIV - who later received that gift of the 'magical' coffee - encouraged tea drinking in his court and one of his chief ministers, Cardinal Mazarin, drank it as a cure for gout. Perhaps because of that history, tea is often still considered a luxury drink, or a health drink in France – far removed from the dark brown builder's tea Britons are used to. So what's the modern tea scene in France? The French tea-drinking tradition tends towards fine teas, in particular heavily perfumed varieties - usually served without milk. You're spoiled for choice if you like tisanes, green teas, or infusions. If you order tea at a café in France, you're more likely to get a herbal or fruit tea, known as une tisane or une infusion , or perhaps a green tea ( thé vert ). Most big cities will have specialised tea shops and several come up if you do an internet search. Meanwhile there are famous French brands such as Mariage Frères and Dammann Frères (tea seems to have been a brotherly business in the 1800s), although they tend to specialise in the highly perfumed teas that that the French enjoy. They do also ha ve fruit and herbal teas, as well as some Asian-style offerings too. Advertisement There is also the salon du thé (tea shop) - this is a nice alternative to a classic café for the afternoons, usually selling teas, coffees and cakes and other sweet treats. As with other French tea venues, however, it's unlikely to serve you a cup of British/Irish style tea - by which we mean black tea so strong you could dance a donkey on it, with a dash of cold milk added and definitely, definitely no lemon. So if I want 'builder's tea'? If you're a tea drinker of the builder-strength persuasion then probably don't bother with the packets of thé anglais you might see in the supermarket. An entire box might satisfy your tastebuds, but it's an expensive way to get your tannin fix. You could look for thé noir. But the good news is that British teas are routinely available in French supermarkets. You'll generally find them alongside the tisanes , while it's also worth checking the 'British' bit of the world food aisle, if there is one. That's where you'll also usually find the brown sauce, too, and the Worcestershire sauce. And the Colman's mustard sometimes. But not, sadly, Lancashire sauce. You can always order monster-sized boxes of Tetley, PG Tips, Yorkshire Tea, and – good news, Irish tea drinkers – Barry's online. Meanwhile you will be happy to know that tea is not covered by the EU rule on food product imports, so you can beg or bribe friends travelling from the UK to bring a box with you. Do you have any (PG) tips for finding good tea in France? Share your recommendations in the comments section below

Kenyan fishermen under pressure as foreign trawlers threaten waters
Kenyan fishermen under pressure as foreign trawlers threaten waters

France 24

timea day ago

  • France 24

Kenyan fishermen under pressure as foreign trawlers threaten waters

Africa 05:37 Issued on: From the show As the French coastal city of Nice hosts the UN Ocean Conference, we take you to Kenya, where small-scale fishermen are struggling. Fish stocks are dwindling, and their nets often come up empty. The reason: some foreign industrial trawlers – mainly Chinese, Tanzanian, and Italian – are overfishing and damaging marine ecosystems, often with little oversight. But a grassroots response is taking shape. With protected areas, stricter fishing rules and coral reef restoration, coastal communities are working to reclaim and protect their waters. FRANCE 24's Clément Di Roma reports, with Olivia Bizot.

Millions sit China's high-stakes university entrance exam
Millions sit China's high-stakes university entrance exam

France 24

time3 days ago

  • France 24

Millions sit China's high-stakes university entrance exam

Nationwide, 13.35 million students have registered for the multi-subject "gaokao" series this year, according to the Ministry of Education, down from last year's record-high 13.42 million test takers. Outside the central Beijing secondary school, a proud parent who gave her name as Chen said "12 years of hard work have finally led to this moment" -- as she waved a fan in front of her daughter while the student reviewed her notes one last time before the test. "We know our kids have endured so much hardship," Chen told AFP, adding that she was not nervous. "I'm actually quite excited. I think my child is excellent, and I'm sure she will get the best score," she said. China's gaokao requires students to use all their knowledge acquired to this point, testing them on subjects including Chinese, English, mathematics, science and humanities. The exam results are critical for gaining admission to university -- and determining whether they will attend a prestigious or more modest institution. While teachers and staff offered students their support, holding up signs of encouragement, some test takers, dressed in school uniforms, appeared panicked, including a girl with tears in her eyes. "There's no need for us parents to add pressure. The children are already under a lot of it," said a woman named Wang, whose son had just entered the exam hall. Like many mothers, she wore a traditional Chinese qipao in hopes of bringing good luck. "I hope my son achieves immediate success and gets his name on the (list of high-scoring candidates)," Wang said with a smile. Higher education has expanded rapidly in China in recent decades as an economic boom pushed up living standards -- as well as parents' expectations for their children's careers. But the job market for young graduates remains daunting. As of April, 15.8 percent of people aged 16 to 24 living in urban areas were unemployed, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Due to this pressure, many Chinese students prepare for the gaokao from a young age, often with extra lessons after the regular school day. 'Safe gaokao' And every year education authorities are on guard against cheating and disruptions during the exam. This week, China's Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang called for a "safe gaokao", stressing the importance of a rigorous campaign against cheating. Areas around exam centres are closely guarded by police, with road lanes closed to traffic and several cities banning motorists from honking their horns so as not to disrupt the concentration of students. In some schools, facial recognition is even used to prevent fraud. While the university admission rate for gaokao test takers has exceeded 80-90 percent in recent years, many students disappointed with their results choose to repeat the exam. As there is no age limit for the test, some have become notorious for attempting the exam dozens of times, either after failing it or not getting into their top-choice university. One teacher at the Beijing school where parents saw off their children on Saturday estimated that only about 10 of the approximately 600 final-year students there would earn a place at one of the capital's top universities. Jiang, a final-year high school student who only gave one name, said he dreamt of attending a Beijing university, and was remaining calm shortly before his Chinese exam. "Even though the pressure is intense, it's actually quite fair," he told AFP.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store