bénédicité
/be.ne.di.si.te/
The French phrase for "grace before meals" is bénédicité.
bénédicité refers specifically to a short prayer of thanks recited before eating a meal.
What does it mean word for word?
The word bénédicité comes from the Latin benedicere, which means "to speak well of" or "to bless".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
bénédicité is a formal or religious term. It is not used in casual conversation to describe non-religious concepts of grace, such as elegance or mercy.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun bénédicité is masculine and is typically used with the definite article le (le bénédicité).
How do you pronounce it?
/be.ne.di.si.te/
Did you know?
- The word bénédicité is actually a 'frozen' Latin command. It originates from the plural imperative used to tell a group of people to bless the food.
- While bénédicité is the religious term, French speakers often use the secular phrase bon appétit to acknowledge a meal, though it carries no religious weight.
- To signal that it is time to pause and pray, a French speaker might use the phrase on va faire le bénédicité.
Examples in context
- Seigneur, nous te bénissons pour ce repas que nous allons partager. Nous te remercions pour cette abondance de nourriture et pour les personnes présentes à nos côtés. Bénis ce repas et donne-nous santé et bonheur. Amen.Lord, we bless you for this meal we are about to share. We thank you for this abundance of food and for the people gathered around us. Bless this meal and grant us health and happiness. Amen.
- Dieu Tout-Puissant, nous t'exaltons pour ce bienfait que nous allons recevoir. Nous te remercions pour toutes les ressources nécessaires à notre survie. Bénis cette nourriture et répands ton amour sur nous. Amen.Almighty God, we exalt you for this blessing we are about to receive. We thank you for all the resources necessary for our survival. Bless this food and shower your love upon us. Amen.
- Nous te remercions, Seigneur, pour ce repas délicieux. Nous sommes reconnaissants de partager cet instant de convivialité avec notre famille/amis. Amen.We thank you, Lord, for this delicious meal. We are grateful to share this moment of togetherness with our family/friends. Amen.
- Nous disons toujours le bénédicité en famille.We always say the grace before meals as a family.
- Le prêtre a récité le bénédicité.The priest recited the grace before meals.
Example conversation
A family dinner at a restaurant.
- EmmaGabriel, veux-tu dire le bénédicité ?Gabriel, would you like to say the grace before meals?
- GabrielOui, je vais le dire pour nous tous.Yes, I will say it for all of us.
- EmmaMerci, c'est une belle tradition.Thank you, it is a beautiful tradition.
- GabrielC'est important de remercier pour ce repas.It is important to give thanks for this meal.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bénédicité, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bénédicité, CC BY-SA 4.0.
