corps
/kɔʁ/masculine
The French word for body is corps.
corps is used to refer to the physical structure of a human or an animal.
Meaning: physical structure of a human or animal (noun)
Which one should you use?
In English, the word 'corps' (as in a Marine Corps) is a homograph for the French word, but in French, corps refers to both a physical body and a corpse.
How does it change in a sentence?
corps is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/kɔʁ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly pronounce the final 's' in corps, but the 's' should remain silent.
Did you know?
- The spelling of corps contains a 'p' that was added back during the Middle French period specifically to honor its Latin ancestor, corpus.
- The term corps à corps describes hand-to-hand combat, literally translating to 'body to body'.
- In French, corps is used to describe a group of people organized for a specific task, such as a 'corps diplomatique', which is quite different from a physical body.
Examples in context
- Je hais mon corps.I hate my body.This sentence is useful for expressing a personal feeling toward one's corps.Tatoeba #5281996 by Blabla, translation #2239169 by CM
- Le corps est fort.The body is strong.This sentence is useful for describing a quality of the corps.Tatoeba #13759358 by Rovo, translation #13770493 by rul
- Il a un beau corps.He has a nice body.This sentence is useful for describing someone having a nice corps.Tatoeba #1880187 by sacredceltic, translation #1879731 by Spamster
- Pendant l'examen médical, le médecin a examiné mon corps minutieusement.During the medical examination, the doctor examined my body thoroughly.
- 265 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are talking about their workout routine.
- ChloéLe sport est bon pour le corps.Exercise is good for the body.
- GabrielOui, je me sens plus énergique.Yes, I feel more energetic.
- ChloéTon corps a besoin de repos aussi.Your body needs rest too.
- GabrielTu as raison, je vais dormir.You are right, I am going to sleep.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “body” translations and entries corps, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries corps, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
