pamplemousse
/pɑ̃.plə.mus/masculine
The French word for grapefruit is pamplemousse. Wiktionary also lists pomélo and chadègue.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pamplemousse | /pɑ̃.plə.mus/ (Europe) /pɑ̃.plə.mʊs/ |
masculine |
| pomélo | /pɔ.me.lo/ | masculine |
| chadègue | /ʃa.dɛɡ/ | Louisiana, feminine |
| chadigue | Louisiana, feminine |
The word refers to the citrus fruit.
Which one should you use?
pamplemousse is the common word for grapefruit, whereas pomélo is the more precise botanical term used to distinguish the true grapefruit from large citrus fruits that are often called pamplemousses.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Louisiana French dialects, you may encounter the forms chadègue or chadigue.
How does it change in a sentence?
pamplemousse and pomélo are masculine nouns. In contrast, the Louisiana French forms chadègue and chadigue are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɑ̃.plə.mus/
Did you know?
- The word pamplemousse is a linguistic curiosity that actually comes from Dutch, specifically the word 'pompelmoes'.
- The word chadègue is a linguistic relative of the Haitian Creole word chadèk, showing how the term traveled through the Caribbean.
Examples in context
- J'aime le pamplemousse rose.I like pink grapefruit.This sentence shows how to express a preference for pink grapefruit using pamplemousse.Tatoeba #6010709 by Fabimoto, translation #1881727 by al_ex_an_der
- Vous avez du jus de pamplemousse ?Do you have grapefruit juice?This sentence is useful for asking about the availability of grapefruit juice using pamplemousse.Tatoeba #10659833 by lbdx, translation #10303802 by CK
- Je préfère le pamplemousse aux oranges.I prefer grapefruit to oranges.This sentence demonstrates how to express a preference for grapefruit over oranges using pamplemousse.Tatoeba #10612510 by lbdx, translation #452247 by enwilson
- J'adore le pamplemousse, c'est rafraîchissant!I love grapefruit, it's refreshing!
- J'ai acheté un pomelo au marché.I bought a grapefruit at the market.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A kitchen in the morning.
- NathanLéa, est-ce que tu veux un pamplemousse ?Léa, do you want a grapefruit?
- LéaOui, merci Nathan, c'est une bonne idée.Yes, thanks Nathan, that is a good idea.
- NathanJe vais le préparer pour toi.I am going to prepare it for you.
- LéaC'est très gentil de ta part.That is very kind of you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grapefruit” translations and entries pamplemousse, pomélo, chadègue, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chadègue, pamplemousse, pomélo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
