phoque
/fɔk/
The English phrase "earless seal" is translated into French as phoque.
The term phoque is a noun used to refer to a seal belonging to the family Phocidae.
Meaning: seal of family Phocidae (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /fɔk/.
Did you know?
- While the word sounds very similar to the English swear word 'fuck', it is a perfectly polite and common term in French for the animal.
- In spoken French, phoque is a homophone for a common vulgar slang word for 'dick'. This often makes the word a target for puns and juvenile jokes among French speakers.
- The word phoque is an ancient loanword that traveled through three languages, starting in Ancient Greek as phṓkē before moving into Latin and then French.
Examples in context
- As-tu déjà vu un phoque sans oreilles au zoo?Have you ever seen an earless seal at the zoo?
- Le phoque nage rapidement.The seal swims quickly.
- J'ai vu un phoque sur la plage.I saw a seal on the beach.
- Ce phoque est très mignon.This seal is very cute.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are looking at a nature documentary on TV.
- GabrielRegarde ce petit phoque !Look at that little seal!
- ChloéOh, il est vraiment adorable.Oh, it is really adorable.
- GabrielEst-ce que c'est un phoque gris ?Is it a grey seal?
- ChloéOui, je pense que oui.Yes, I think so.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “earless seal” translations and entries phoque, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries phoque, CC BY-SA 4.0.
