cerise
/sə.ʁiz/
cerise is the French word for the color cerise.
The word cerise functions as both a noun referring to the color and an adjective to describe things that are that color.
Meaning: colour (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word for the color cerise is the same as the word for the fruit 'cherry'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as an adjective to describe a color, cerise is invariable, meaning it does not change its form to match the gender or number of the noun it describes.
How do you pronounce it?
/sə.ʁiz/ (2 syllables)
Did you know?
- While in English 'the icing on the cake' is almost always positive, the French expression la cerise sur le gâteau can be used sarcastically to describe the final stroke of bad luck in a series of misfortunes.
- The name of this color traces its roots back to the Ancient Greek word κερασός, which refers to the 'bird cherry' tree.
- French has several words for red, and cerise is distinct from carmin or pourpre, often implying a brighter and more saturated tone than 'burgundy'.
Examples in context
- La couleur de ses lèvres était d'un rouge profond, une nuance similaire à la couleur cerise.The color of her lips was a deep red, a shade similar to cerise.
- La robe qu'elle portait était d'un rouge cerise éclatant, mettant en valeur sa peau claire.The dress she was wearing was a vibrant cherry red, complementing her fair skin.
- J'aime beaucoup cette robe cerise.I really like this cerise dress.
- Elle a choisi un rouge cerise pour ses lèvres.She chose a cerise red for her lips.
- Le mur est peint en cerise.The wall is painted cerise.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Manon are choosing paint for a room.
- GabrielTu préfères le rouge ou le cerise ?Do you prefer red or cherry?
- ManonJe préfère le cerise, c'est plus original.I prefer cherry, it's more original.
- GabrielC'est vrai, Manon, c'est une belle couleur.It's true, Manon, it is a beautiful color.
- ManonOn l'achète alors !Let's buy it then!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cerise” translations and entries cerise, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cerise, CC BY-SA 4.0.
