cannelle
/ka.nɛl/feminine
The French word for cinnamon is cannelle.
cannelle is a noun used to refer to the spice. It can also be used as an adjective to describe the color cinnamon.
Meaning: spice (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is feminine, so it is used with the feminine article la (e.g., la cannelle). When you want to describe a food or drink as being flavored with cinnamon, use the preposition à followed by the feminine article and the noun: à la cannelle.
How do you pronounce it?
/ka.nɛl/
Did you know?
- The French word canne can refer to a walking stick or a sugar cane, showing how many different 'tubular' objects share the same root as cannelle.
- In historical French apothecary texts, cannelle was often listed not just as a culinary spice but as a medicinal ingredient to treat digestive issues.
- The word cannelle is a diminutive of canne, meaning 'reed'. This refers to the cinnamon bark's appearance as a small rolled tube.
Examples in context
- J’ai beaucoup apprécié les bretzels et le vin chaud à la cannelle.I really enjoyed the pretzels and the mulled wine with cinnamon.This sentence shows how to use cannelle when talking about mulled wine.Tatoeba #5990562 by christian63, translation #6698229 by Eccles17
- Ajouter le sucre et la cannelle aux pommes cuites.Add the sugar and cinnamon to the cooked apples.This sentence demonstrates how to use cannelle when adding spice to cooked apples.Tatoeba #3560509 by Lebensfreude, translation #3560460 by Lebensfreude
- Un beignet à la cannelle et une tranche de tarte aux pommes, s'il vous plaît.One cinnamon doughnut and a slice of apple pie, please.This sentence shows how to use cannelle when ordering a doughnut.Tatoeba #3601641 by mervert1, translation #3599155 by mervert1
- Pour cette recette, il faut une cuillère à café de cannelle en poudre.For this recipe, you need one teaspoon of cinnamon powder.
- J'adore l'odeur aromatique de la cannelle .I love the aromatic smell of cinnamon.
- Où puis-je trouver de la cannelle dans ce magasin ?Where can I find cinnamon in this store?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are baking in the kitchen.
- LucasEmma, est-ce qu'il reste de la cannelle ?Emma, is there any cinnamon left?
- EmmaOui, je l'ai mise dans le placard.Yes, I put it in the cupboard.
- LucasParfait, j'en ai besoin pour le gâteau.Perfect, I need some for the cake.
- EmmaTiens, prends le pot de cannelle ici.Here, take the cinnamon jar here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cinnamon” translations and entries cannelle, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cannelle, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
